There will be in-person classes for the fall semester at Ohio State.
University president Michael Drake announced the news at a Board of Trustees meeting on Wednesday. The semester will begin as in-person instruction on August 25, and end December 4. Instruction will move to a virtual setting after November 25. That means everything after Thanksgiving break — including final exams — will be done online.
“Today I’m pleased to share our plans to resume in-person classes for the autumn semester,” Drake announced. “This will include a combination of the use of appropriate face coverings, physical distancing, hand hygiene, limited density in indoor spaces, control of the flow of traffic into and around buildings, continued employee teleworking when possible, testing, symptoms tracking and contact tracing. We’re developing an approach to teaching and learning that combines in-person and distance methods, and our academic calendar will be adjusted accordingly.”
The dates are a modification from the original plan of ending the semester on December 17. Commencement had been set for December 20, but that will likely be changed as well as things progress.
“We anticipate adding to our plan throughout the course of the summer,” Drake said.
Ohio State had originally shuttered all in-person classes on March 19, extending it through the summer semester because of the COVID-19 pandemic. But now, it looks like there will be a careful approach to getting students back on campus this autumn.
“We’re dedicated to continuing our core mission, including providing the best possible experience for our students while operating under a set of circumstances that no one has experienced before,” Drake said.
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