The University of Vermont has told students, faculty and staff it is planning for in-person classes in the fall.
UVM has held remote classes since March 16 due to the pandemic, but on Wednesday, President Suresh Garimella wrote in an email he was “confident” community members can return next fall.
Garimella made the announcement the same day Vermont had no new COVID-19 cases for the first time since the Vermont Department of Health began releasing numbers. He said Vermont had "flattened the curve," adding that the school is “deeply engaged in scenario-planning regarding a potential return of the virus.”
UVM President Suresh Garimella released this video Wednesday:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z493KcpNwA4&feature=youtu.be
“Return to an in-person campus will require more testing, tracing, and improved protocols,” Garimella said. He added extra precautions will be taken in classrooms, residence halls and dining facilities.
“The bottom line is that ongoing education is critical, not just on an individual level, but to our state, nation, and society as a whole,” he said. “Education is a driver of innovation, economic development, and self-determination. These are things we need now, perhaps more than we ever have before.”
UVM has asked the Vermont Senate for an extra $25 million to recover from the impact of the coronavirus.
