Classes at The University of Alabama are scheduled to begin Aug. 19 with heightened protections in place for employees and students. Our students’ role in limiting virus spread will be crucial in maintaining full operations.
After transitioning to remote instruction for the end of the spring semester and summer semester, our campus will again welcome in-person instruction and on-campus residents with public health policies that reduce risk to students, faculty and staff while safeguarding the vulnerable members of our campus community to the spread of coronavirus.
A “Plan for a Return to Full Operations” was drafted by the Presidential Advisory Committee on the Return to Full Operations alongside multiple campus working groups coordinating with The University of Alabama System Task Force and adhering to cornerstone objectives set by UA System Chancellor Finis St. John.
The plan is nimble and will adjust as new information is available or situations change.
Returning students will find academic and physical adjustments designed to preserve distancing and limit spread. For example, residence hall move-in will be staggered more than usual; classroom use will be designed to limit numbers and spread; and changes in dining and events will be planned.
In accordance with UA System cornerstones, students and employees will be tested upon re-entry, if available, and there will be periodic testing to detect trends and outbreaks along with testing for those who need it. UA System campuses will conduct contact tracing to stop spread and notify individuals who have been in close contact with someone with a verified positive test.
Anyone who tests positive, shows symptoms or has been in close contact with someone with a positive test will undergo isolation and quarantine procedures.
Steps being developed for students include:
- Training tools before returning to campus
- Routinely logging symptoms using a Healthcheck feature
- A voluntary, anonymous exposure notification app that alerts users who were in close contact with individuals with a positive COVID-19 test.
- Event passport feature to facilitate attendance at events after personal assessment via the Healthcheck.
Cloth face masks will be required on campus in these situations:
- Classrooms and labs
- Crimson Ride buses
- Communal offices
- On-campus gatherings where distancing is difficult
Face coverings are encouraged, but not required, in residence hall rooms and suites, enclosed study spaces, outdoor settings where distancing is met and University Recreation facilities.
Faculty, staff and students are responsible for maintaining their personal face coverings and other personal protective equipment.
Measures taken on campus to limit spread include:
- Sanitation stations and hand sanitizer available around campus
- Enhanced cleaning protocols for high-touch surfaces, high-traffic locations and Crimson Ride buses
- Placement of plastic dividers and covers where needed
- Modified layout of classrooms and communal spaces for required distancing
- Procedures to reduce shared objects
- One-way halls and staircases where possible
- Eliminating buffets in dining halls and adjustments to seating and service to maintain distancing
- Offering more grab-and-go options in dining halls
There will be increased distancing in the classroom, even when face masks are required, and hybrid approaches to teaching will include the availability of online content for students who may be remote or temporarily isolated.
Planning is ongoing to preserve the student experience, including residential life, Greek life, and student support services and resources, all in coordination with public health and safety requirements.
The full draft plan along with other public health information can be found at healthinfo.ua.edu.