University plans to reopen campus for the 2021-22 academic year

On March 10, President Troy VanAken announced the administration’s plans for in-person campus activities to return “almost completely” during the fall of 2021. For these plans to be implemented, however, the campus will need to continue to have low positivity rates. The university hopes for many faculty and staff to be vaccinated by then.

The announcement was initially distributed via email and included an attached document that lays out a plan for “in-person campus-based learning” during the fall. A more in-depth plan is said to be announced in the coming months. However, more information can be found on EU’s website in a press release by the office of marketing and communications. 

Along with the report of an optimistic return at the start of the upcoming academic year, EU has outlined its intention to offer enhanced financial aid for those who continue to be affected by the pandemic. The university will continue to implement safety measures per the CDC’s recommendations, offer an enhanced in-person student experience, and will house residential students on-campus at full capacity.

There remains a 54,000 weekly average of new COVID-19 cases in the U.S., but the positivity rates overall are remaining steady in Illinois. Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot has praised citizens for following pandemic-related protocols and remaining dedicated to public health during these incredibly difficult times. “We are full of generous, resilient, courageous people,” she declared at a city hall meeting last Friday.