Emory to begin spring semester online
Emory President Gregory Fenves announced Dec. 28 that Emory University will begin its spring semester in a virtual format due to a “significant increases in COVID-19 cases because of the spread of the Omicron variant.”
“While the campus will open as planned on January 4, we know there will be positive cases within our community. Therefore, to continue all aspects of our academic mission, undergraduate, graduate, and professional courses will start the spring semester in a remote format,” Fenves said in his announcement.
According to a news release, classes are expected to transition back to in-person learning Jan. 31. Students and faculty will receive additional details on the remote start and the return to in-person classes.
The release states that more than 97 percent of “Emory community members have been vaccinated and all students, faculty, and staff are required to receive a booster dose of a COVID-19 vaccine by January 19, which is the best protection against serious illness and hospitalization.”
In his announcement, Fenves said that residence halls will remain open to begin the spring semester, the campus will remain open to all employees, and that faculty and staff whose duties require them to be on campus should continue working in person and are encouraged to use the screening testing options available at Emory.
“I understand that beginning the semester with remote learning and teaching is inconvenient, particularly for students and families who have already made travel arrangements, faculty who have planned in-person coursework, and staff who have made countless adjustments to their protocols throughout the past two years. But we must be adaptable during this surge so we can continue our important work—learning, teaching, creating, and discovering—in the face of this ever-evolving pandemic,” said Fenves.
