CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA — On Tuesday afternoon, University of Virginia President James Ryan sent an email to the university community announcing the delay of in-person undergraduate classes by two weeks.
Undergraduate classes will still begin on August 25th, but will start online, and in-person classes will resume September 8. Graduate and professional schools will begin as planned.
In his email to the University community, Ryan said they decided to make the change because transmission rates in the area and nation “have moved in the wrong direction.”
“We still plan to welcome all students back to Grounds,” Ryan said, “but out of caution, we will do it a bit more slowly than originally intended.”
Ryan said that Move-In will also be delayed by two weeks, with undergraduate students now set to return to Grounds a few days before September 8.
Some exceptions will be made for undergraduate students in extenuating circumstances, and international students will return by August 25th in order to self-quarantine.
Additionally, Ryan urged undergraduate students living off-Grounds to avoid returning to the Charlottesville area until around the September 8 start date.
He said the University would now be adopting a phased approach, and that UVA is already in Phase I.
The phases are:
- Restarting some in-person graduate and professional programs, in-person pre-season training for student-athletes, and greater research activity.
- Bringing back more graduate and professional students to Grounds.
- Re-open residence halls and restart in-person coursework for undergraduate students.
Ryan also said that UVA will hold a virtual town hall on Friday at 11am to give more details to students, faculty, and staff, and that similar events will be held for parents and Charlottesville community members in the future.
“The unfortunate truth is that COVID-19 is not going away anytime soon,” Ryan concluded. “If we need to change plans again due to the progression of the virus, the guidance of our public health experts, or guidelines from the Virginia Department of Health, we will.”
