For the Fall 2021 semester, Georgian Court plans to return to in-person classes at the level offered before the pandemic. Safety protocols, matching state and federal guidance, will be in place, including the continued required use of face coverings and daily self-screening. Contact tracing, quarantine, and communication protocols will remain should outbreaks of COVID-19 cases occur.
Ultimately, this important decision puts the needs of students at the forefront. Our students’ academic progress, their engagement with professors and with peers, and the overall GCU experience are paramount.
Moving forward means we must consider critical assumptions, including the planned roll-out of sufficient vaccines by the end of summer, vaccinations being widely available, and the projected drop in numbers of Covid-19 cases and severity. Nationally, reports of coronavirus spread in the classroom have been minimal and nonexistent at Georgian Court.
We are not going it alone. Our vision for Fall 2021 aligns with plans being made by other private universities across New Jersey and across the country. As we prepare for the next academic year, the health and safety of our campus community remain our top priority, and we will continue to monitor data and guidance over the next several months before the start of the 2021-2022 academic year.
The university will maintain its academic and campus operations task forces as plans progress. Ideas and concerns can be addressed to the Office of the Provost.
We know this has been a most challenging academic year, but as a community of faculty, staff, students, and supporters, we working through it, together. We appreciate all that you are doing to make the most of the GCU experience, and your willingness to be flexible and adaptable as we prepare for Fall 2021.
Dr. Joseph R. Marbach
President
