BU plans fall comeback
Expects it to be safe for in-person learning
Boston University is planning a “full return to learning” this fall, another local university that’s expecting “more typical campus life” as the coronavirus vaccine rollout picks up.
“I expect the vibrant campus life that we cherish will fully return,” BU President Robert Brown recently wrote to students and parents.
“We all yearn for a return to a post-COVID normalcy and for restoration of all elements of our wonderful living and learning campus environment at Boston University,” he wrote. “This fall, we will take a giant step in that direction.”
As vaccine distribution is expected to jump this spring, the university is anticipating that all students, staff and faculty who want to be vaccinated will already have gotten the shot or can get vaccinated once they arrive in Boston before the start of the fall semester.
BU is also expecting that international students will be able to return as international travel resumes.
“The expected efficacy of the vaccines and comprehensive immunization will make possible the full return to learning in our classrooms, studios, and laboratories without the social distancing protocols that have been in use since last September,” Brown wrote. “We do not plan to continue to offer our classes in the Learn from Anywhere (LfA) format except in some very specific graduate programs; these will be announced in the coming weeks.
“The return to more typical campus life will also include resumption of policies that enable students to move freely among residence halls, the return to operation of our dining halls at full capacity, and, more generally, the use of social and public spaces for their intended purposes,” he added.
The community testing program will continue at some level.
“As campus life resumes, we are mindful that COVID-19 will not have been eradicated,” Brown wrote. “We will continue to be vigilant, recognizing the potential for new variants of the virus to reduce the efficacy of vaccines.”
Last week, Northeastern University officials announced that they’re planning a “normal” fall semester with regular campus activities, saying it’s likely the virus will be under control by September.
A Boston College spokesman said in a statement about BC’s fall expectations, “We have experienced a successful academic year at Boston College with a mix of inperson, hybrid and remote classes. Our hope is to be able to have a normal semester in the fall, but our decisions will be guided by state and public health regulations.”