OU to open campus in fall

The feedback that Oakland University President Ora Hirsch Pescovitz has received from students is that they miss the student experience on campus.

“And I want to tell you something, I miss them too,’’ Pescovitz said.

That’s just one reason why Oakland announced plans on Thursday to return to a pre-COVID atmosphere when classes begin in the fall.

“Grizzlies Together – Again” is a blueprint that presents students, faculty, staff and visitors with a range of expectations and opportunities when they return to campus.

Most classes will be taught in person in sanitized classrooms and preventive health measures will be required.

“We want our students to plan, we’re coming out with a very optimistic plan. It is however based on, first of all, what we think is happening nationally and locally as well. It is, of course, contingent on everybody getting out there and getting vaccinated,’’ Pescovitz said. “It is my hope and expectation that our students faculty and staff will get their vaccines between now and the start of the school year in the fall.’’

Pescovitz, whose background is as a pediatric endocrinologist, thinks the

way the vaccine process is going now that it is likely everyone should be able to be vaccinated by the fall.

“We want there to be a lot of enthusiasm around that. We’re not making it mandatory but we are really, really strongly encouraging it,’’ Pescovitz said. “We think we’re going to have pretty close to a normal start of the fall semester.

“We think that is really important for students — terrific education and good mental health. Not just the health of our citizens, but the health of our economy.

Getting back to normal is what we all need,’’ she added.

Throughout the COVID pandemic, Oakland has maintained a hybrid form of learning with about 30 percent of the classes faceto-face this term.

Typically 80% of the students commute, although because of the pandemic fewer students lived in residence halls and on-campus apartments. She would like to see them go back to a full census on-campus in the fall.

“I think it’s better for education for students to be on campus because I think they have a better educational experience. That’s the reason I want them on

campus,’’ Pescovitz said. “I think they’ll have a great educational experience and a great student experience.’’

She said they have learned some things from the pandemic year that they will keep, like perhaps a few classes on Zoom.

“But most of us can’t wait to have dinner with friends and go to a basketball game and have a party. There are a lot of things we can’t wait to do again,’’ Pescovitz said.

Oakland’s athletes are known as the Golden Grizzlies and, when there is not a pandemic, Pescovitz is routinely at games cheering them on. She said on campus she’s often referred to as the Mama Bear.

She loves and misses her

cubs.

“Our students have been unbelievable. They have been resilient, they have been so successful but it has been difficult for them,’’ Pescovitz said. “We have some of the most amazing students I think in the universe at Oakland. They are remarkable.’’

She can’t wait to see them walking around campus once again.

The expectations for fall presented in “Grizzlies Together – Again” include:

• Normal (pre-pandemic) level of operations that preserves student course choice while increasing undergraduate face-to-face learning opportunities to nearly 80 percent.

• Increase number of students living in on-campus resident halls and apartments.

• Additional mental health services available to support students who may experience stress and anxiety.

• On-campus dining halls will offer in-person and carry-out options.

• Support services will be available in-person, virtually and a hybrid format.

• Student-centered educational, social and recreational programs will resume in campus facilities.

• Spectators will be permitted at athletic events as allowed by preventive health protocols and attendance restrictions.