DENVER (KDVR) — As COVID-19 continues to remain an impactful presence into the new year with the arrival of a fresh variant, colleges and universities have adjusted their plans heading into the spring semester.
Officials at Regis University are attempting to slow the spread of omicron on their campus with the adoption of a flexible schedule for the start of the spring term.
A policy was recently enacted that requires all Regis faculty, staff and students to provide proof of booster vaccination before Feb. 1, otherwise. According to a recent press release from the school, nearly half of all employees have fulfilled this requirement.
Faculty have been provided the flexibility to decide whether their classes will meet in person or be held virtually, through Feb. 1. They will each make their decision individually and inform their students as to which format they have chosen to start the semester with by Jan. 7.
The indoor mask mandate remains in place with a reminder that the suggested models of choice are the N-95 and the KN-95.
For students planning to return to on-campus living in the coming weeks, they will be required to take a rapid COVID-19 upon arrival. Alternatively, they can provide a negative that was taken within 48 hours of their move-in.
Another option for residential students is bringing in a positive COVID-19 test that was taken on or after Dec. 1. The student in this situation will be placed in temporary, on-campus isolation quarters that are maintained in adherence with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s guidelines.
The University of Denver has adopted a similar policy, with classes remaining remote until Jan. 18 when classes will return to in-person.
The University of Colorado Boulder has been faced with additional hurdles heading into the new term following the Marshall Fire. The semester will begin on Jan. 10 but will be fully remote for the first two weeks.
“We know New Year’s Eve was not an ideal time to make this announcement,” said CU Boulder Executive Vice Provost Ann Schmiesing. “This is, however, an emergency situation. We needed to give people as much notice as possible to make alternative plans.”
Starting on time ensures that spring break will not be impacted, which students have indicated is “integral to mental health.”
