Three Michigan universities have decided to start planning for in-person classes this fall.
Lake Superior State University and Northern Michigan have both announced plans to hold face-to-face instruction during the fall semester. Central Michigan University announced on Monday that it is also planning to hold on-campus instruction.
Ferris State University officials say they have not yet made a decision on the matter.
The announcements come despite uncertainty over what the status of the coronavirus outbreak will be at that time.
Derek Hall is a spokesperson for Northern Michigan University. He said the campus is looking into how things may be different on campus to protect student health.
“We’re looking to set up a testing facility on campus at the health clinic. We’re talking about spaces where we can have larger classes.”
Northern Michigan University has roughly eight-thousand students.
Hall said after making the announcement last week to have in person classes in the Fall they have heard overwhelmingly positive responses from students.
“You look at the seniors in High School and everything they’ve missed out on. We want to get them on campus and give them their Freshman year experience.”
Hall said the university is remote and faculty have been joking that they “know how to distance well.”
Fred Pierce is the Dean of Admissions and Marketing at Lake Superior State University. He said the university’s task force has been evaluating since March how to hold instruction and keep students safe.
“We were increasingly coming to the conclusion that we can put all the necessary protocols in place to be face to face this fall.”
Pierce said Chippewa County has only seen two cases so far and the University is in a relatively safe spot.
He said if the case trajectory changes, the University may reevaluate.
Both universities have not made a formal decision on whether to hold sporting events in the fall.