LOS ANGELES (CNS) - UCLA will begin to offer a number of in-person, on-campus courses, as well as limited on-campus student housing, for the 2020-21 academic year, the university announced today.
To maintain safety, strict infection-control procedures and daily symptoms checks will be required for everyone coming to and living on campus.
“The health of our students, staff, and faculty is of paramount importance and guides our planning process,'' UCLA Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost Emily Carter said. “As previously announced, the UCLA COVID-19 Future Planning Task Force has been hard at work, identifying options and recommendations for the fall. I appreciate their thoughtful work, the options they presented, and their recommendations.''
The plan's key points:
-- UCLA anticipates that 15% to 20% of courses will be offered on site or in an on-site and remote hybrid format. These include, but are not limited to, some laboratory courses, some performing arts classes and some courses in clinical health fields, as well as other classes that would be difficult to offer remotely;
-- on-campus housing will be provided at a lower population density to a limited number of students, with some rooms set aside for quarantine or isolation. Housing offers for the academic year will be prioritized based on a variety of factors, including students' financial need for affordable housing, the distance of a student's primary residence from campus, and the enrollment preferences of third- and fourth-year students who may wish to take courses or participate in other activities offered on campus. UCLA also aims to offer housing to as many first-year students as feasible; some of these offers will be determined by lottery. UCLA Housing will reach out to students regarding available accommodations by June 29; and
-- recommended infection-control procedures will be in place on campus, including physical distancing, de-densifying classrooms and other spaces, frequent cleaning of classrooms and facilities, and the wearing of face coverings while on campus, consistent with guidance from the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health. In addition, daily symptom checks will be required for everyone coming to campus or living in campus housing. Testing and contact tracing protocols for COVID-19 will also be in place.
UCLA said it will continue to offer a wide range of student and campus life activities, as well as co-curricular programming, both remotely and in-person, with proper physical distancing and in accordance with public health guidelines.
Given the constantly evolving situation with COVID-19, some or all of these plans could change based on public health recommendations, campus leaders said.
“We must remain flexible and ready to pivot,'' Carter said. “UCLA is collaborating closely with the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, which has been providing valuable guidance at every step of this process.''
Photo: Getty Images