BOISE, Idaho — Boise State has released a initial plan for safely reopening the campus. The university announced in March that all summer classes will be virtual, allowing students, faculty and staff to social distance and stop the spread of COVID-19.
Campus activities and events have been suspended until at least July 5 and only a skeleton crew of essential employees are working on campus. A small number of students are still living in campus housing, but food service has been suspended and most campus buildings remain closed.
The university will slowly increase the number of employees on campus in the next few months, as long as it is safe. The goal is to continue in-person classes in the fall semester, with appropriate social distancing and increased cleaning. University officials are making investments in faculty development and infrastructure improvements in case classes have to be delivered online. Boise State plans on having residential students back with plans for preventing surges of COVID-19 cases.
On-campus events are still being considered and it is not clear if NCAA fall sports will go as scheduled. It is also still being determined if there will limitations on fans attending games or competitions if sports and events do happen.
The reintegration process is being overseen by a campus committee with guidance from public health experts, state and local government officials, and other subject matter experts. By May 25, the committee will provide more specific information on the reintegration plan, including:
- A detailed timeline for scaling up to a limited on-campus presence of student support services staff in offices such as Financial Aid, Registrar, Academic Advising, Student Financial Services, and Career Services.
- Plans for reopening student housing and minimizing the spread of COVID-19 among residential students and staff.
- A strategy for offering lower-density, face-to-face classes on campus paired with robust online instructional capabilities to be maximally responsive to student needs and safety requirements.
- A blueprint for safely resuming campus-based research activity.
- Information regarding NCAA athletic programs, including anticipated practice schedules, if available.
- Information regarding how the university will use diagnostic and antibody testing, contact tracing, personal protective equipment, quarantine protocols, and other infection mitigation strategies to proactively limit transmission of COVID-19.
- Contingency plans in the event of a resurgence of COVID-19 cases during fall term.
- An update on how and when the university will host events on campus.
Until the reintegration plan is finalized and communicated, all employees currently working remotely should continue to do so unless an exception is approved by their division’s vice president. Students should also continue to access services in the same way they have for the past month.
