Worcester Colleges Plan Fall Semesters Around Coronavirus

WORCESTER, MA — Coronavirus has receded for the moment in Massachusetts, and now many businesses and other institutions are working on reopening plans — including Worcester's main colleges and universities.

Most schools will begin welcoming students back to campus for the fall semester in August. But it won't be business as usual. Worcester's higher education institutions are offering students and staff opportunities to work and study remotely, although traditional arrangements — like dorm living — are on the table. The state's reopening guidelines do limit the number of students who can live together on-campus.

However, it's possible coronavirus may derail the fall semester. On Tuesday, Centers for Disease Control Director Dr. Robert Redfield said "fall and the winter of 2020 and 2021 are going to be the probably one of the most difficult times that we experienced in American public health."

Here are the reopening plans put forth so far by Worcester colleges and universities, which are subject to change depending on coronavirus fluctuations:

Assumption College

The fall semester will begin in Aug. 17, but will be very different for the rest of the year, according to the school. Students can pick between attending online and in-person classes, but students will be required to leave campus at the Thanksgiving break and finish the semester remotely. Students won't return until the beginning of the spring semester.

Becker College

The college will start the fall semester on Aug. 24, but hasn't announced whether it will be fully online or a mix of in-person classes. Either way, like Assumption, students will move out of campus housing at the Thanksgiving break and complete the rest of the fall semester remotely.

Clark University

The fall semester will begin on Aug. 24 with a mix of online, in-person, and hybrid learning. Students from outside the Northeast will be required to take a coronavirus test paid for by Clark, according to a July 13 letter by President David Fithian.

Holy Cross

Classes will begin Sept. 1 with hybrid learning. Some students will be allowed to live on campus. The school is also reversing a planned tuition increase, and financial aid packages will eliminate the expected $2,400 student contribution.

Quinsigamond Community College

The college announced in June that all fall classes would be held remotely, except for classes that require students to use lab space.

UMass Medical School

The school instituted a number of screening and testing procedures for students and staff returning over the summer.

Worcester Polytechnic Institute

The school plans to allow students to move into residence halls on Aug. 23, with the fall semester beginning on Aug. 31. Students can opt to take some or all classes online. The class structure has been reworked in a program called "TechFlex."

Worcester State University

Classes will begin on Sept. 2, but with only about half the number of people on campus compared to a usual semester. Students will live on-campus, but only in single or double-occupancy rooms. Classes will be a mix of in-person and online, according to a letter from President Barry Maloney.