Moravian College announces students will return to campus in fall

Moravian College announced in a news release earlier on May 28 that students will be allowed back on campus for in-person classes as originally planned on Aug. 24.

The plan, a hybrid between in-person and remote classes, is contingent on Northampton County remaining in at least the yellow stage of Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf’s phased reopening plan. Northampton County is scheduled to move from the red stage to yellow on June 5.

The hybrid model would allow some students to attend in-person classes while others will learn remotely within the same course. The news release said plans are being finalized for housing, dining and other on-campus facilities. The college is looking at “additional sanitizing measures, reconfigured spaces, and new policies” to create a safe environment amidst the coronavirus pandemic.

The Bethlehem college is the first LVAIC school to announce its plan for the fall semester. Lehigh has said it will announce a decision to the campus community on June 15.

Moravian will eliminate its fall break and end on-campus classes with the Thanksgiving break. Students are encouraged to stay on campus during the semester to minimize potential exposure.

Student athletes will be able to practice and play in games without fan attendance. Regular testing will be conducted prior to visiting any campus for a game.

Moravian has devised plans according to the colored reopening phase of Northampton County. The college would close its campus if the county moves back into the red stage. You can read more here about what activities will be available and which businesses will be open based on the county’s stage of reopening.

Pennsylvania has shown increasing progress in slowing down the spread of the virus. The state just surpassed 70,000 COVID-19 cases and has logged over 5,300 deaths, according to the state’s Department of Health.