“We made the decision to embrace remote learning specifically to uphold the standards of academic excellence upon which Oglethorpe was founded. Asking faculty to teach in masks and split their attention between in-person and remote student participants would degrade the experience for each audience,” President Nicholas Ladany said in a statement.

Ladany said the university plans to conduct classes in person for the spring semester.

Oglethorpe, located in the Brookhaven area, will allow students to live on campus if they desire to do so. Oglethorpe joins Agnes Scott College, Clark Atlanta University, Morehouse and Spelman colleges in choosing to hold classes online for the fall semester.