University Announces Plan to Return Students to Campuses

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) _ The University of Minnesota has released its plan to return students to three of its campuses after delaying move-ins and in-person classes.

The plan by University President Joan Gabel outlines multiple steps that ease over time, include curfews, limited on-campus activities and access to facilities.

The University will welcome residence hall students beginning on Sept. 9 in Duluth, Sept. 15 in the Twin Cities and Sept. 18 in Rochester. Initial move-in dates were delayed on these campuses to provide University leaders more time to observe the experiences of higher education institutions across the country that started their semesters with spikes in COVID-19 transmission, among other data and information.

In addition, as approved by the University’s Board of Regents on Aug. 24, most undergraduate courses at Duluth, Rochester and the Twin Cities will be offered in a distanced manner for the first two weeks of the semester. The University confirmed today that when the two-week pause is completed, classes on these campuses will return to their previously announced mode (remote, online, in-person or blended).

The Minnesota Department of Health reported 502 new coronavirus cases and six deaths Tuesday, with hospitalizations dipping below 300 for the first time since Aug. 21.