Quinnipiac sent an email out to students on Thursday, March 18 providing updates on what the Fall 2021 semester may look like.

As of now, the university plans on having primarily on-ground, in-person classes, with some going fully remote or hybrid. It also expects to have students be able to visit other residence halls, a higher capacity for dining halls and social gatherings and fewer restrictions for student activities.

The release of the Fall 2021 course schedule will be pushed to March 24, with Quinnipiac changing classroom capacities in accordance with new state guidelines allowing 3 feet instead of a 6 feet social distance among students and staff in the classroom.

In order for the new plan to run smoothly, the university strongly encourages students, faculty and staff to become vaccinated. Senior medical advisor Dr. David Hill explained the plan for on-campus vaccine opportunities.

“We’re looking at the logistics and the feasibility of that so we could assure students have at least one dose… and we would try and extend that to individuals who are living out of state as well so they could get it on campus,” Hill said. 

The university also intends to implement new remote learning policies. Not all classes will have remote-learning options, as first-year students are strongly discouraged to take classes remotely unless they submit an appeal. Current undergraduate and graduate students apart of on-campus learning programs are also expected by the university to take in-person classes unless they submit an appeal that their course schedule allows for. If health guidelines and conditions change, the university will adapt accordingly to alternate teaching methods.

Although Quinnipiac is implementing lenient protocols, Dr. David Hill reminds the Quinnipiac community must do their part to make the plan work.

“We’re not done with this,” Hill said. “This pandemic is in no ways over. There are still hundreds of cases being reported each week in Connecticut and number of deaths continue to increase… All this means is we need to continue to wear our masks and try and be responsible in our behavior.”

Mask wearing will be required in classrooms, common areas and other public settings in accordance with early planning with the Connecticut Department of Public Health.

Quinnipiac also expects more social gathering opportunities and activities for vaccinated students to be a part of without restrictions.

On the Quinnipiac website, Provost Deborah Liebowitz stated, “We are excited for this big step forward in restoring so many of the wonderful living and learning experiences that students enjoy at Quinnipiac!”