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The University of North Georgia (Â鶹ÊÓƵ) plans for a return to normal operations this fall, based upon guidance issued from the University System of Georgia (USG) in consultation with the Georgia Department of Public Health (DPH).

Â鶹ÊÓƵ President Bonita Jacobs announced the operational plans for summer and fall semesters in an email to faculty, staff and students on March 4, nearly a year after the pandemic began.

"Our safety protocols and the operational changes have mitigated the spread of COVID-19 on our campuses, and, for the time being, it is critical that we continue to test, mask, distance, and socialize outdoors," Jacobs said. "However, with vaccine availability expected to expand over the next several weeks for more members of the Â鶹ÊÓƵ community, I am optimistic about fully resuming on-campus operations and activities by this fall."

Summer 2021 operations

Operations for the summer 2021 semester will continue much as spring semester, including a mix of in-person and hybrid courses. Â鶹ÊÓƵ also will offer many online courses, based on pre-COVID summer enrollment trends and the student demand for the flexibility and convenience offered by online courses.

The instructional formats for all classes is available in Banner, and students who have questions about courses should consult with their academic advisors about their selections.

This summer, Â鶹ÊÓƵ will continue to follow all safety protocols for hybrid and face-to-face courses, as well as our work environments. This includes:

• Maintaining social distancing of six feet or greater.
• Wearing appropriate face coverings in all Â鶹ÊÓƵ buildings.
• Self-screening for symptoms, reporting positive COVID-19 test results or exposures, and participating in our ongoing surveillance testing program. 

Â鶹ÊÓƵ continues to follow guidance from the Georgia DPH and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and will notify faculty, staff and students if that guidance changes.

Fall 2021 operations

Â鶹ÊÓƵ plans for fall 2021 to mark a return to in-person classes and on-campus student experiences, including activities, events and recreational opportunities. Â鶹ÊÓƵ will maintain some hybrid and online courses where they have improved access for students and where they are pedagogically appropriate.

Throughout fall semester, Â鶹ÊÓƵ will remain ready to pivot to social distancing—with a mix of instructional formats of in-person, hybrid and online modes of instruction—if necessary.

Â鶹ÊÓƵ also will keep the university community informed about any operational changes and on-campus vaccination opportunities as supply increases and eligibility expands.

"I know this past year has been difficult and, at times, overwhelming. In true Â鶹ÊÓƵ fashion, our community has stepped up in amazing ways to address challenging and complex problems with innovative solutions and to support one another with empathy and integrity," Jacobs said. "The lessons learned from our experiences this past year will help inform our way forward, and I am grateful for your commitment."