Bloomsburg University To Return to Face-to-Face Instruction For Fall

Bloomsburg, PA (08/04/2021) — Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania announced it is planning on returning to a fully operational campus with face-to-face instruction for the Fall 2021 semester. Considering the spread rate of the Delta variant, the University has provided the following guidance to the campus community.

• BU strongly encourages all members of the campus community to vaccinate. The vaccine remains the most reliable method to keep our campus safe and maintain face-to-face instruction.
• Monitor the rate of COVID-19 on campus. BU will pivot to remote instruction if 5% of our campus community has COVID at one time, which amounts to roughly 400 active cases. We would remain remote for a minimum of two weeks and continue remote until the live cases fell below 400. This is to halt the spread of the virus and to protect our community. COVID cases at BU can be tracked here: https://www.bloomu.edu/coronavirus.
• Maintain COVID cleaning mitigation, including providing sanitation stations, fogging classrooms, and regular cleaning of high-touch areas throughout campus.
• Provide masks to the campus community. A free mask will be available to all members of the campus community who want one. Face shields are also available for faculty and those needing alternatives to a face mask.
• Masks will be strongly recommended in classrooms and in all high occupancy or close quarters that prevent social distancing. This is due to the likely mix of vaccinated and unvaccinated individuals and aligns with CDC guidance. We are strongly recommending everyone to continue to mask in these areas so that we may remain face-to-face this semester and prevent a need to pivot to remote learning. If a pivot occurs, masks will be required in all campus settings except for personal residential rooms and while in a partitioned, single workspace.
• The use of the student health center and campus transportation will require masks, without exception.
• Students in clinical settings must follow the guidance of their setting. Academic departments and program faculty will communicate those expectations to students.
• Baseline testing will be conducted for all students moving into the residence halls. Continued surveillance testing will occur as well for residential students. Vaccinated residential students will not be required to test upon proof of full vaccination. Guidance for submitting documentation has been provided to students in a separate communication.
• Anyone feeling any symptoms of COVID-19 is being urged to stay home. Students may get tested at the Fenstemaker Alumni House on campus. Faculty and staff should consult their local medical professional.

The BU campus community should be aware that recommendations may change based on future state or federal guidance.

Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania

For more information contact: Tom McGuire, 570-389-5134, tmcguire@bloomu.edu

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