Pictured Above: President Steve Currall said the university would be guided by “scientific advice” as it moves toward a return to in-person classes.
Courtesy of USF
By Molly Ryan
President Steve Currall announced March 3 that USF can expect a return to pre-COVID-19 in-person class delivery this fall.
“USF is preparing for a full return to pre-COVID in-person course delivery, on-campus student activities and a robust on-campus residential community beginning fall 2021,” Currall said.
The process will start in summer, with a reduction in the number of hybrid and online classes.
The university moved to 100 percent virtual classes in spring 2020, and has since offered a majority of online or hybrid courses.
Some students are hopeful for the return to in-person instruction.
Freshman mass communications major Emerson Taylor said that in-person classes will be beneficial for the student body.
“I know it has been a struggle for a lot of students to build motivation for themselves,” Taylor said. “I think… it would be beneficial to have (students) experience classes in real life, not because it will be difficult through the accelerated course but adjust to what the actual college life is like.”
Other students, like freshman health sciences major Emma Schilling, were less excited.
“Personally, it makes me a bit nervous,” Schilling said. “Because of the pandemic, it has become difficult to trust others when it comes to protocols. It is exciting because of how quiet campus has been, but also nerve-wracking.”
Provost Ralph Wilcox announced the news today to the Faculty Senate Executive Committee during their virtual meeting.
“Now, you might ask . . . why now? Well, my answer quite simply is that as you know, on a daily basis, we scrutinize the public health epidemiological data and we’re encouraged, quite frankly, at this time, in the direction that those data are moving,” Wilcox said. “Whether it’s declines in the number of infections or transmission on campus or in the broader community, the decline in hospitalization and death rates resulting from COVID . . . our epidemiological modelers in the College of Public Health are forecasting continuing trends in that direction.”
Near the end of the announcement, Currall said the university’s “path forward” depends on the pandemic.
“(We) will continue to be guided by the scientific advice of our public health and infectious disease experts at USF, along with government agencies, and we will be ready to adjust to changing conditions if needed.”
Faculty Senate President Tim Boaz said he is concerned about classroom availability.
“I know this is way too early to know about, but we normally have a large number of classes in the fall that have very large enrollments,” he said. “There may be a wrinkle here in terms of how much capacity we have in classes.”
Wilcox agreed that “it’s far too early for us to be settling on just what on-campus activities will look like in the fall.”
“We have planned for full classroom capacity for the fall,” Wilcox said. “Should it become necessary due to changes in public health conditions then we reserve the right to reduce classroom capacity.”
“We do fully expect that other mitigation measures will continue, whether required or strongly encouraged – face coverings and the like,” he added.
An executive committee member wanted to know if students will be required to have a vaccine.
Wilcox said “again, it’s far too early for me to confidently state that we will require anyone, employees or students, to provide evidence of vaccination.”
In Wednesday’s committee meeting, Wilcox said the university is “always going to reserve the right to adjust should the data suggest a shift in the wrong direction.”
For more updates, visit usf.edu/coronavirus.
Nancy McCann contributed to this report.
Editor’s Note
This article was updated March 4, 2021 to provide further information from the March 3 committee meeting.
