Posted on March 7, 2021; Updated: March 7, 2021
By Jeff Stensland, [email protected]
The University of South Carolina announced its plan for a full return to in-class classes and the resumption of normal campus operations this fall, including residential life and the type of activities and events on campus that established UofSC as the No. 1 university audience the country for his first-year student experience.
The university will continue to employ appropriate COVID-19 mitigation strategies, robust on-campus COVID-19 tests and other measures based on updated public health guidelines.
UofSC was the first public university in South Carolina to announce last spring that it would switch to virtual classes to deal with the growing pandemic. It was also the first to implement a comprehensive mitigation strategy, allowing students to return to campus and a mix of classroom, hybrid and virtual classes during the 2020-21 school year.
While today’s announcement is great news, we still have to remain vigilant.
UofSC President Bob Caslen
“I want to thank teachers, staff and students for their flexibility, patience and creativity as we sail through this unprecedented time together,” said UofSC President Bob Caslen. “Our goal from the beginning was to safely provide world-class education for students, regardless of the challenges. I am excited to see that we will continue with full face-to-face teaching in the fall, as well as returning to the vibrant and engaging campus environment for which our university is known. ”
With the launch of the vaccine across the country expected to accelerate in the coming months – and many university professors and staff already qualified to receive vaccinations according to SC Department of Health and Environmental Control classification 1b – a decrease in transmission is expected during spring and summer. However, university officials will continue to coordinate with public agencies and closely monitor the spread of the virus and its new variant strains.
The university has instituted a mandatory COVID test program for any student, faculty, or employee who attends campus this spring. Currently, the positivity rate on campus is 1.3%; far below state and national averages. The university conducted more than 70,000 tests in 2021 alone.
“While today’s announcement is great news, we still have to remain vigilant,” said Caslen. “As I said during the pandemic, our ability to get back to normal depends on members of our community doing the right things to protect themselves and others. This includes wearing face coverings and receiving the vaccine when you are eligible to receive it. ”
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