As we turn to the summer months, our plans for the fall semester—which is already rapidly approaching—have come into focus. And while much uncertainty remains regarding the COVID-19 pandemic and the unpredictable impact it will have in the coming months, we intend to move forward with the understanding that the situation demands flexibility, particularly as we prioritize the health and well-being of all faculty, staff and students.
Bears Return to Campus.
What you need to know to about our response to COVID-19, our phased opening and the procedures in place to keep our campus safe.
Phased Campus Safety Strategy
The different phases below correspond to different levels of health practices on campus depending on the health situation on campus, and to a lesser extent, in the surrounding community. The color of the shield for each phase represents a more general reference for the phases (Red, Old Gold, and Black) Please refer to Ursinus.edu for current campus status.
| Phase< | Characteristics | Staff & Faculty | Students | Visitors |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
|
Only essential functions—County in red phase |
Only those maintaining essential campus operation on campus |
Students at home, all instruction remote |
As campus is essentially empty, community may use campus for walking with masks & distancing |
|
|
Preparation for re-opening—County must be at least in yellow phase |
Minimal presence on campus, staggered schedules, remote work where possible |
Students remain at home, but preparing for return to campus, including quarantine and testing |
As campus occupancy is low, community may use campus for walking with masks & distancing, minimal visits from prospective students |
|
|
Phased return: first-year students |
Faculty begin in-person CIE; other functions remain remote where possible |
First-year students arrive, along with RAs and others in support roles. Upper class students quarantine and testing |
Visitors to campus are discouraged during phase-in process. For In-person admission-related visits, please visit Interact with Ursinus. |
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|
Phased return: upper class students |
Faculty begin full in-person semester; other functions remain remote where possible |
Upper-class students arrive. |
Visitors to campus are discouraged during phase-in process. For In-person admission-related visits, please visit Interact with Ursinus. |
|
|
Campus remains healthy. Relaxation of some campus restrictions |
Additional staff and faculty return to regular work on campus |
Gradual reopening of common spaces, shared dining, some larger gatherings |
Visitors are allowed to return in socially distanced groups |
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|
End of in-person instruction at Thanksgiving |
Campus closes for Thanksgiving break; remote instruction to follow |
Students go home; small subset may remain |
Campus grounds open for visitors; buildings closed |
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|
If small outbreak; temporary quarantine of campus |
Faculty and staff follow phase zero practices as possible. Instruction continues remotely |
Students confined to rooms for a period of several days as contact tracing completed and isolation enforced |
No visitors to campus |
