Ohio State’s plans for next year: normal breaks, full classrooms, less COVID testing, masks inside

Max Garrison
Fri, 09 Apr 2021 18:22:41 +0000
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In an email to the Ohio State community Friday, University President Kristina M. Johnson said classrooms with fewer than 50 students will be at full capacity, vaccinated students will have to test for COVID-19 less often and fall and spring breaks will return in full in the coming academic year. Credit: Casey Cascaldo | Lantern File Photo.

Ohio State is making strides to return to a format resembling life before COVID-19.

In an email to the Ohio State community Friday, University President Kristina M. Johnson said classrooms with fewer than 50 students will be at full capacity, vaccinated students will have to test for COVID-19 less often and fall and spring breaks will return in full in the coming academic year.

“Our plans to reinvigorate campus life this fall are taking shape as we look forward to an autumn semester of engaged classroom learning, thriving student activities and community events that bring us together, and we need your help to reactivate our Ohio State traditions,” she said.

Johnson said the university expects to require masks indoors, but if the vaccination and positivity rates are low enough it will remove it for outdoors. She said with this, Ohio State hopes to have events not possible this academic year, such as larger gatherings and student attendance at football games.

Vaccinated students will be required to test for COVID-19 “once a month or less” while others will still be required to be tested weekly, Johnson said. In most cases, vaccinated students will also not be required to quarantine after exposure to an infected person.?

Johnson said the university is encouraged to see about 40 percent of the community has received or scheduled at least one dose of a vaccine, but the number needs to increase to herd immunity levels — at least 70-85 percent fully vaccinated— or there will be more stringent guidelines.

“A high vaccination rate will only increase the chances of normality,” Johnson said.

After a year with no fall break, shortened Thanksgiving break and spring break replaced by two midweek two-day instructional breaks, Ohio State anticipates a normal academic calendar for 2021-22. Fall break will take place Oct. 14-15, Thanksgiving break will start the Wednesday before the holiday and run Nov. 24-26 and spring break will be the week of March 14-18, 2022.

The university previously announced that at least 75 percent of classes will be taught in person fall semester. Johnson added to those plans, announcing classes with fewer than 50 students will be permitted to fill classrooms to full capacity. Classes larger than that will be in rooms at 50-75 percent capacity.

Johnson also said in the email the Office of Human Resources is working with campus leaders to develop guidance to allow for work-arrangement flexibility with remote and hybrid options available.