Bryant University planning to hold 2020 fall semester on campus with ‘special accommodations’

SMITHFIELD, R.I. (WPRI) — After considering plans announced by government officials and medical experts, Bryant University intends to hold the 2020 fall semester on campus.

As the pandemic evolved in March, it forced the university to send students home and finish the spring semester through remote learning. With classes ending on May 1, the university is starting to plan for the fall.

According to Bryant University President Ronald Machtley and incoming Bryant President Ross Gittell, the university will allow students to return to campus for a residential experience when they are confident it is safe to do so for all members of the community.

“Our expectation is that we will all be facing a ‘new normal’ and that special accommodations will be needed in our near-term future, but we will handle it with our signature Bulldog spirit and meticulous attention to health and safety,” the announcement read. “We are already developing the policies and procedures that must be in place for this safe reopening and we will share details on these in the weeks and months ahead.”

Since the university holds small classes and there are no large lecture halls, Machtley and Gittell say they are well-positioned to adopt strategies for safe social distancing that will protect the community.

“We look forward to welcoming you to campus as soon as possible,” the announcement coninued. “When you arrive, be assured that our faculty will be ready, our staff will be eager to greet you and help you to settle in, and that the landscape will be lush and will provide a perfect setting for study and personal growth.”

The full statement from Machtley and Gittell can be found on Bryant’s website.