Lock Haven University issued the following announcement.
Based on new guidance from the Pennsylvania Department of Health and the state Department of Education, Lock Haven University has announced today, Wednesday, Jan. 6, a revision to reopening plans for the spring 2021 semester.
LHU will move to a two-week fully remote format on the original semester start date of Jan. 25 and ending on Feb. 5. No in-person classes or labs will take place during this time.
There are several factors which have informed the decision for LHU to begin the semester fully remote. One is the overall risk of contributing to the spread of the disease among students, their families, faculty and staff and the greater community due to potential exposure to the virus over the holiday break.
“We have seen a significant increase in COVID-19 positivity in recent weeks,” said Dr. Robert Pignatello, LHU president. “With concerns about a post-holiday surge, a new, more contagious COVID variant now present in the U.S. and the rollout of the COVID-19 vaccine off to a slow start across the country, we must continue to operate with caution and take the steps necessary to mitigate virus spread and provide as safe a learning environment as possible for our entire campus and the extended community.”
While the majority of courses will remain remote, when classes resume on Feb. 8, LHU will maintain plans to increase face-to-face instruction from 15 to 25 percent and include more synchronous learning opportunities. Studio art, labs, clinicals and some first-year experience courses are among those that will be taught face-to-face with a limited number of students enrolled in these courses.
Current occupancy limits for campus facilities including the Student Recreation Center, Stevenson Library and the PUB will continue to be observed.
LHU will offer free COVID-19 re-entry testing from Feb. 4-6 to assess and evaluate the ability for in-person instruction and activity for the start of the semester. All on-campus residents will be required to test before being allowed to stay on campus and attend classes. Off-campus students, as well as faculty and staff, are strongly encouraged to get tested. Random COVID-19 testing will be conducted bi-weekly throughout the spring semester with exit testing at the end of the semester. Tests also will be available as needed and students are encouraged to download the COVID Alert PA app.
If the positivity rate is above 5 percent following the re-entry testing, LHU will continue the semester fully remote until the rate goes below 5 percent. This also may impact the possible start of spring sports. No athletic associated activities will take place prior to Feb. 8.
For questions about LHU’s spring reopening plan, call 570-484-2027.
For more information on Lock Haven University, visit www.lockhaven.edu, email admissions@lockhaven.edu, or call 570-484-2011.
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Lock Haven University’s main campus is located on the West Branch of the Susquehanna River in the scenic mountains of Pennsylvania. The university offers 49 undergraduate majors and certifications with 47 minors and five graduate programs.
LHU is a member of Pennsylvania’s State System, the largest provider of higher education in the Commonwealth. Its 14 universities offer more than 2,300 degree and certificate programs in more than 530 academic areas of study. Nearly 520,000 system alumni live and work in Pennsylvania.
Original source can be found here.
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