President Rodney Bennett, Ph.D sent out an email on July 28. The email said the first 3 weeks of class will be online only. The email also said:

All classes will still begin as scheduled on Monday, August 17, but traditional lecture course work will be delivered remotely for the first three weeks of the semester, with in-person meetings for face-to-face and hybrid lecture classes beginning on Tuesday, September 8.

• This change only affects the delivery of course content; no changes to the academic calendar will be made at this time.
• Most labs, clinicals, and other applied courses will meet face-to-face during this time, with all applicable health protocols being enforced. Once the semester begins, please check your Canvas course shells for details.
• Your course instructors will be available to communicate with you through Canvas, email, or video office hours.
• All essential programs and services will be open and available to you during this transition period, including Eagle Dining, Student Health Services, all University Libraries, Student Counseling Services, all centers for advisement and student success, and other academic support resources.
• Campus Recreation, the Office of Leadership and Student Involvement, the Gulf Park Fitness Center, and other student activities areas will be open, with modified procedures in place to comply with current health and prevention protocols.
• If you plan to live in on-campus housing this fall, you should still move in at your scheduled date and time. During the first three weeks you are living on campus, Housing and Residence Life will implement special programming to provide you with important health protocols and information specific to living in a residential community.
• While you are encouraged to bring your own face coverings with you, face coverings will be provided at check-in for on-campus residents and will be available for pick-up at select student events.
• Please visit the Flight Path: Fall 2020 website for more information as plans continue to evolve.

President Bennett said to notify the Dean of Students at [email protected] if you are sick. President Bennett said it is encouraged to self-isolate for 14 days before returning to the university.

For more information and to stay updated, go to usm.edu/covid-19.