Clemson details return-to-campus plan. Masks, testing, classroom changes planned
As part of its planned reopening in the fall, Clemson University on Friday announced it will test all staff and students upon their return to campus and provide them with two reusable face masks, along with other protocols.
In a blog post made to the school’s website, university president James P. Clements wrote that the school is keeping a “singular focus” on bringing students and staff back for the fall semester as the coronavirus pandemic continues across South Carolina and the country.
As part of the school’s three-phase safety plan, Clements wrote, all students and staff will be required to wear facial coverings:
while in university buildings, including housing and dining facilities
- during all university programs held in non-university buildings
- in outdoor spaces on campus where appropriate physical distancing cannot be guaranteed
- in all university vehicles and while using university transportation/mass transit
Masks won’t be required while alone in private offices, on-campus housing rooms and walking outside alone. The school has ordered 70,000 reusable cloth masks and will distribute two each to everyone.
The city of Clemson passed an ordinance Wednesday mandating that residents wear masks whenever they’re in a building open to the public. The order is set to last 60 days.
Everyone on campus must also test negative for the virus within five days of returning to campus — those who test positive will have to self-isolate for 10 days. Throughout the semester, the school will provide random voluntary testing to track the spread of the virus on campus.
Meanwhile, classrooms will be modified to allow for six feet of physical distance between individuals. Cameras and microphones will also be installed in more than 400 classrooms to allow for classes to be recorded and live streamed. The goal, Clements wrote, is for 75% of all classes to include some classes dedicated to face-to-face interactions between student and instructor.
At the same time, instructors are being told to be prepared to pivot back to online-only learning if the coronavirus pandemic spreads locally, especially after the Thanksgiving break, Clements said.
Daily counts of new COVID-19 cases in the state of South Carolina have set or challenged record levels the last few weeks.
Fall classes at Clemson are scheduled to begin Aug. 17.
After previously canceling spring commencement, Clements also announced that the university would host on-campus commencement ceremonies for both May and August graduates on the weekend of October 9-11. Details of how ceremonies will be held were not released.
Clemson previously released a three-phase plan for a return to campus and in-person instruction. Football, men’s basketball and women’s basketball student-athletes have already returned to campus for voluntary workouts ahead of more formal practices later in the summer. Last Friday it was revealed that 26 players and staff, including 23 football players, have tested positive for the virus after just two did initially.
Clemson’s first football game of the 2020 season is set for Sept. 3 at Georgia Tech. The Tigers’ first home game is scheduled for Sept. 12 against Louisville. The school will move to mobile-only ticketing for home games.
Asked about fans being required to wear masks in the stands, a school spokesman told The State: “We continue to work with the university on planning for athletic event operations this fall. At this time, several variables still exist, and we will release more information at a later date.”
The State’s Matt Connolly contributed to this story
This story was originally published June 26, 2020 at 3:07 PM.
