South Pima News

The University of Arizona will offer a mix of in-person and online classes when the fall semester begins on Aug. 24, University of Arizona President Robert C. Robbins said.

Campus will have a different look to it, with increased sanitation, mandated face coverings, reduced class sizes and other safety measures. COVID-19 testing will also be available for university students and employees. 

The Campus Reentry Task Force, led by Dr. Richard Carmona, 17th U.S. Surgeon General, has been meeting throughout the summer to determine a plan for students to return to campus safely in the fall. 

"There are no risk-free options in return to our campus. Our plan is informed by international and national experts, including Dr. Carmona, who has for years had expertise in virology managing public health emergencies and other types of crises," Robbins said according to University of Arizona News. "Our faculty and  staff remain our greatest asset, in addition to our students, and I am confident that our broad capabilities, contributions and resilience will enable us to weather this period and emerge even stronger than we are today."

The four classroom formats that will be offered are in-person, where students and faculty are in the classroom with face masks, appropriate distancing and other safety precautions; flex in-person, which consists of a mixture of in-person and online elements; live online where instructors and students are online simultaneously; and iCourses where students complete coursework independently through the university's D2L system.

Those with known medical conditions are urged to consider online instruction rather than a return to campus.

All students living on campus will be given a coronavirus antigen test before being allowed to move into the dorm. Those who test positive will be required to isolate for 10 days.