Kansas City, Missouri, May 06, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- With the incidence of COVID remaining low on campus and more and more people getting vaccinated, the University of Missouri-Kansas City is #RooReady to return to full-capacity, in-person classes and activities for the Fall 2021 semester.
“We are excited to reach the point of being able to plan for a ‘normal’ fall,” said UMKC Chancellor Mauli Agrawal. “Of course, we will continue to consult with the health experts on the UMKC Health Sciences Campus and our city’s health partners and follow their advice. But as long as COVID cases continue to fall and the public continues to get vaccinated, we are confident that we will be able to safely resume in-person, full-capacity classes and campus life.”
Agrawal praised the campus community for its diligence and resilience after COVID-19 prompted a pivot to online classes in March 2020. Since then, thousands of UMKC faculty and staff have worked to make the campus safe while continuing in-person classes and activities following stringent safety measures. That work and compliance with precautions — including mask wearing, social distancing, free COVID testing and multiple campus vaccination events — have helped the university prevent further spread of the disease among the campus community. As of May 5, the university had a seven-day day rolling average of zero cases.
Starting in June, UMKC will begin to increase in-person activities and opportunities for students, faculty and staff. Campus tours for orientation will be offered in person in July.
In August, health guidelines permitting:
- Residence halls and food service will resume normal operations. Lounge areas and common spaces will be reopened so students, faculty and staff can meet in person. Dining halls and other food venues will resume a full array of offerings and return to normal hours. A new monthly pop-up restaurant will be at the Student Union.
- Classes, events and activities including the nearly 300 student organizations will meet in person.
- Convocation, the official start to the academic year, will be in person and will kick off a few weeks of special in-person student activities and events known as RooWelcome.
- Our Division I Kansas City Roos are planning a full slate of regular season contests in the fall.
“Although this has been an unprecedented semester, I have no doubt in my mind that the UMKC community will persevere,” said UMKC Student Government Association President Tim Nguyen. “As UMKC Roos, kangaroos cannot move backwards; only forward. We will take it one step at a time as we transition and continue towards the post-pandemic and fall semester soon upon us.”
Provost Jenny Lundgren said faculty and staff at UMKC are ready to welcome students back.
“As our campus remains safe, we are excited to prepare for a return to in-person learning and activities,” said Lundgren. “No matter what the fall brings, we will ensure that we are ready to give our students a unique and rewarding experience.”
The University of Missouri-Kansas City, one of four University of Missouri campuses, is a public university serving more than 16,000 undergraduate, graduate and professional students. UMKC engages with the community and economy based on its mission: placing student success at the center; leading in life and health sciences; advancing urban engagement; excelling in visual and performing arts; embracing diversity; and promoting research and economic development. For more information about UMKC, visit umkc.edu. You can also find us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter, see us on Instagram and watch us on YouTube. Read stories about our students and alumni at We Are UMKC.
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