The University at Buffalo will commence the fall semester with a mix of in-person and online instruction, the university announced Monday as Western New York continues through the path of reopening. Daemen College has also released similar plans.

University officials say the plan will allow UB to deliver an impactful university experience while protecting the health and safety of the campus community during the COVID-19 pandemic.

UB President Satish K. Tripathi and UB Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs A. Scott Weber released the following statement:

“This decision will preserve our mission as a place-based, public research institution, while providing us needed flexibility to continue caring for our campus community and providing the best possible educational experience for our students.”

All determinations regarding the fall semester and phased return of employees will align with Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s guidelines for reopening the state, according to the university.

Face coverings will be required for in-person gatherings, and seated classrooms will be designed to provide six feet of physical distance, according to the statement from the university. Classes will start August 31 and end December 21.

The university’s plan for the fall semester reads, in its entirety:

Courses

• Course format (in-person, hybrid in-person/online, or fully remote) will be based on course goals and curricular/clinical requirements. 
• In-person, seated classroom instruction will be designed to provide six feet of physical distancing. Face coverings will be required.
• Students will receive a communication this summer confirming the instructional format of their classes.
• Some professional programs will follow their regular academic calendars. 

Academic calendar

• Classes will start Aug. 31; the semester will conclude Dec. 21 
• UB is considering holding classes on Labor Day.
• All instruction will shift to distance learning after fall recess, which starts Nov. 25.  The final three weeks of the semester will be conducted remotely.
• The Health Sciences schools’ academic calendars will remain as originally scheduled due to program requirements.

Campus health and safety

• UB will follow all public health guidelines, including maintaining social distancing and using face coverings.
• There will be a reduction in density in classrooms, student housing, and offices across campus.
• The university will adhere to guidelines from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, as well as New York State, related to cleaning, providing protective barriers, controlling foot traffic flows, and using elevators and stairwells.
• Face coverings will be provided for faculty, staff and students.

Student life

• Residence halls will be open, with reduced occupancy to enable physical distancing. 
• Dining services will be available, with additional takeout and delivery options.
• Libraries will be open and services will be available remotely and in-person.

Screening, testing and tracing

• UB’s COVID-19 planning structure includes a Screening, Testing and Contact Tracing Protocol Committee, chaired by Dr. Michael Cain, Vice President for Health Sciences and Dean of the Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences.
• UB’s protocol for the fall semester will be built on evidence-based medicine and include screening, contact tracing, education, and appropriate testing for faculty, staff and students.

On Monday, Daemen College also announced its plans for the fall. Classes will begin on September 8 but the fall break on October 12 and 13 has been canceled. Instead, classes will be held on those days. 

On November 30, the college will transition from on-campus to online instruction. That format will run through final exams. 

Throughout the semester, student services, residence halls, dining operations, administrative offices, and other services will also be available and open for use.

Lieutenant Governor Kathy Hochul says as the state reviews these plans, things could change depending on the public's behavior during the pandemic.

"I really wish we could say whether it's pre-K through college that we're in a position to say school will be open in the fall. We're on a path to get there but that path could easily be disrupted if people start getting complacent, they feel they're back to normal, they don't have to wear the mask and they have this concept that we're out of their woods when in fact it puts us deeper into the woods," Hochul said.