UNR planning on holding majority of classes in-person this fall

The University of Nevada, Reno, announced Monday it’s aiming to hold primarily in-person classes and student services for fall semester.

The university, like other higher education institutions in the state, has been operating with mostly remote classes this school year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

UNR President Brian Sandoval said in a Monday news release he’s heartened by the public health gains Nevada has seen with the advent of the coronavirus vaccines.

“Because of these positive trends, I want you to know that we’re actively planning and preparing on being back for the fall semester — with more in-person academics and events, while remaining vigilant in all critical prevention efforts and continuing to prioritize the health and well-being of the university community,” he wrote.

Being able to offer more in-person classes this fall assumes that public health conditions continue to approve, according to the news release.

In addition to expanded in-person instruction, the university expects to host more students in residence halls and the dining hall, reinstate Welcome Week events and fall semester student activities, expand in-person student support services, allow public attendance for all intercollegiate athletic events, hold live performances and offer “opportunities for faculty and staff to return to work on campus and other locations,” according to the release.

UNR, which has more than 20,000 students, saw an increase in COVID-19 cases — largely, among students — in fall 2020, prompting a switch to fully remote instruction following Thanksgiving break until the late January. Spring classes started a week later than originally scheduled and spring break was canceled.

But this spring, COVID-19 case numbers among UNR students and employees have dropped sharply. Since the pandemic began, the university has seen 1,371 cases among students and 225 among employees, according to its online case tracker.

The university does not report if any deaths occurred among those stricken by the disease caused by the new coronavirus.

In Southern Nevada, Nevada State College in Henderson is aiming to offer about 70 percent of its fall classes with an in-person component, Provost and Executive Vice President Vickie Shields said in a Monday statement to the Review-Journal. “In spring 2022 we plan to be back to an in-person campus for instruction.”

Student services will be offered in person in the fall, adhering to safety protocols and distancing, Shields said, but walk-in capacity may still be restricted.

UNLV is actively planning for fall semester and expects a majority of classes will be offered in person, as well as campus facilities providing in-person services, university spokesman Tony Allen said.

The College of Southern Nevada hasn’t yet announced fall semester plans.

Contact Julie Wootton-Greener at jgreener@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2921. Follow @julieswootton on Twitter.