MEMPHIS, Tennessee —
It’s a return to campus for thousands of University of Memphis students come fall, but the coronavirus pandemic changes how learning will take place. The university responded to COVID-19 by appointing a steering committee. Questions about how dormitories and dining halls will run are still in the planning stage.
“I’ve been looking forward to it this entire senior year,” said incoming freshman Aaron Bardos. “Like even having some form of orientation, the thought of online makes me so excited.”
For new students like Aaron Bardos, the excitement of leaving high school behind isn’t stopping because of COVID-19.
“It’s going to be a scary thought walking into a big room full of people with masks and holding clorox wipes and wearing gloves,” said Savannah San Roman.
The University of Memphis is taking measures on how classes will run for the 2020-2021 school year.
The school announced its appointing a 7-member committee to oversee areas like the curriculum, health and safety and student life.
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“I assume we will still be in social distancing by August,” said journalism professor Otis Sanford.
“Then we need to prepare our classrooms for that in a methodical way and that’s what’s being worked on right now.”
Sanford teaches freshman classes which are expected to be packed with students.
“I will be teaching two fairly large classes this fall, and while I can’t say right now how that classroom is going to look, we certainly are going to take some steps to make sure everybody is safe,” said Sanford.
Undergraduate and graduate students will also have a chance to provide recommendations to the steering committee.