Two of Georgia’s largest private universities announced schedules Thursday for reopening their schools for in-person instruction this fall that include holding classes on some previously scheduled holidays and breaks and ending the semester by Thanksgiving.
The largest school, Emory University, plans to limit how many students can reside in dorms and require COVID-19 testing of students in those dorms and those taking in-person classes. Mercer University, like Emory, said the Labor Day holiday and its fall break will not be observed to instead hold classes.
Mercer’s first day of classes for its Atlanta campus will be Aug. 17. The fall semester at Emory will begin Aug. 19. Both schools plan to conduct final exams remotely.
Emory and Mercer, like other schools in the state, ended in-person instruction in March to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus, which has killed more than 2,300 Georgians. Colleges and universities have spent months figuring out how to reopen their campuses. Some have said they plan to conduct classes in person while others plan to hold all classes online or offer a mix of classes online and in person. A few are still discussing options.
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Leaders of the state’s public university system also plan for its 26 colleges and universities to resume in-person instruction for the fall semester. One of its schools, the University of North Georgia, also announced this week its plans for resuming in-person classes in the fall.
Mercer, which has about 8,700 students, said its medical, law and online programs will have slightly different class schedules.
Emory’s announcement included details about how students and faculty will be tested for COVID-19 that are among the most detailed yet of any Georgia college or university. At Emory, which has about 15,000 students, the plans also include random temperature checks across campus each day by trained university staff and setting limits on most in-person, large lectures to minimize class sizes.
“COVID-19 testing will be mandatory for all students living in residence halls, along with those taking in-person classes, upon or shortly before returning to campus, and will be available at any time during the semester for those who are symptomatic and for their close contacts. Faculty and staff will have access to testing on demand,” Emory said on its website.
The university said in a statement that some details are still to come, such as rules about face coverings and social distancing. Emory said its peer educators will “support compliance” with the regulations when asked about enforcement and potential penalties for students who do not follow the guidelines.
Emory officials said it “may be rare for students to have entirely in-person schedules.”
“While much will be different this fall, there are core elements of the Emory experience that will remain the same,” Emory President Claire Sterk and President-elect Gregory Fenves said in a joint statement.
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