North Kent News

The University of Michigan is asking dorm residents to stay home and participate in remote learning for the upcoming winter semester.

“Undergraduates who don’t need to be on campus should remain at their permanent residences for the semester and study remotely,” University of Michigan President Mark Schlissel said in a letter to members of the campus community, which is posted on the University of Michigan website. “We know that reducing the number of undergraduates in our residence halls will diminish a treasured part of our students’ college experience in a way that is inconceivable during normal times. This was a very difficult decision we had to make to support health and safety, and we apologize for the disruption it will cause.“

The letter states that the winter semester will feature more remote classes and require mandatory COVID-19 testing for individuals who are on campus. Instructors will not be required to teach in-person, and students who must remain on campus for a reason, such as having no other place to go, will be allowed to stay in single dorm rooms.

“The pandemic hasn’t gone away, COVID-19 case numbers continue to increase in Michigan and around the nation, and the winter will bring new and likely greater challenges,” Schlissel wrote in the letter. “We know that cold and flu season, colder weather, and ‘COVID fatigue’ present very real obstacles for us.”

In addition to laying out the winter term plan, Schlissel reflected on the many difficulties posed by the current semester.

“We were forced to navigate challenging modes of instruction, serious disruptions to work and personal lives, and fear and anxiety from living with COVID-19 in our community,” Schlissel wrote on the University's website. “I join all of you in wishing that our winter term could be normal, and we could enjoy the transition into spring free of the anxieties of this pandemic.”