Gov. Lamont receives report with recommendations for reopening state’s colleges and universities

[huskymedic]

>>The recommendations include the gradual reopening of higher education campuses over the course of the summer – at the discretion of each institution.

By the fall semester, if health conditions permit, all of the sectors may reopen, although institutions will be free to decide whether they need more time for certain programs to restart.<<

->>The recommended sequencing for reopening colleges and universities would be as follows:

• Research programs and administrative functions will be able to open on the same timetable as the first wave of general business operations in the state, which is currently set for May 20.
• Next, early in the summer, workforce development programs in institutions such as community colleges may reopen.
• By mid-July, other nonresidential educational programs might be reopened if public health conditions continue to improve, and some institutions may want to resume graduate programs. A few summer programs involving undergraduate students in residential settings might be piloted.
• By the end of the summer in preparation for the fall semester, if prevailing health conditions make it possible, undergraduate residential institutions may reopen if they choose.<<

 

[huskymedic]

>>This sequencing depends on several public health conditions that must be met, including:

• The prevalence of the disease must be low enough to allow the safe resumption of campus operations;
• Institutions that will be housing students 24/7 must have access to enough COVID-19 tests so that entering students can be tested upon arrival, and those students testing positive must be immediately isolated; and
• An adequate capacity for contact tracing must be provided to the higher education institutions.

In order to reopen, each higher education institution would be required to file reopening plans with the Connecticut Department of Public health, detailing how they propose to:

• Repopulate the campus, likely in a phased way;
• Monitor health conditions to detect infection;
• Contain the spread of disease when detected; and
• Shut down the campus in the event it becomes necessary.<<