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Syracuse University will limit the size of on-campus classes in the fall to maintain social distancing between students, a university official said Thursday.

Classes and meetings in the fall will generally not exceed 30 individuals or half the stated capacity of a given room, said Mike Haynie, vice chancellor for strategic initiatives and innovation, in a campus-wide email. The university may hold larger meetings in areas that can accommodate six feet of distance between people, Haynie said.

The policy is one of many SU will implement to prevent the transmission of the coronavirus when on-campus classes resume Aug. 24.

SU will require all students, faculty, staff and visitors to wear face masks or coverings on campus, Haynie said. Students, faculty and staff will undergo routine temperature checks, and the university will conduct random COVID-19 screenings throughout the semester, he said. SU has previously stated it will also test students for the virus upon arrival on campus.

“These policies and actions, among others, will be taken by Syracuse University to protect and maintain the health and well-being of our campus community,” Haynie said.

The university will also require students to be immunized for the flu to better determine which individuals have contracted COVID-19.

SU will provide working arrangements for any individual who is at high risk for severe complications from the virus, including those who are 65 year old or older, Haynie said. Students exposed to the virus will take classes remotely while quarantining in a designated residential facility, he said.

The university will also continue some travel restrictions, Haynie said. He did not specify what the restrictions will mean for international students or SU’s study abroad programs scheduled for the fall.

Other measures the university will implement include running an accessible point-of-care rapid testing facility for students, monitoring residence hall wastewater for the presence of COVID-19 and deploying a contact tracing program if the virus appears on campus, Haynie said.

“We are confident that our strategy is comprehensive and informed by the best public health information and guidance currently available,” Haynie said.

Published on May 28, 2020 at 7:07 pm

Contact Sarah: scalessa@syr.edu | @sarahalessan