Eastern Michigan University has delayed in-person classes through Sunday, Jan. 23, making the first two weeks of the winter semester remote.
Students should be contacted by their instructors for more information. Some courses in the School of Nursing and College of Health and Human Services will continue in-person instruction for the week of Jan. 17.
EMU reopened the COVID-19 testing center at the Student Center on Jan. 5, and positivity rates at the university are increasing, according to EMU.
"Initial indications from our on-campus Testing Center, which reopened last Wednesday, Jan. 5, are that positivity rates for student and employee populations reflect the increasing case count that is occurring in Washtenaw County, in Michigan, and across the country," EMU President James Smith said in a written statement.
EMU previously announced the delay of in-person classes for first week of the semester on Dec. 31 due to the predicted rise in COVID-19 cases numbers over the holidays.
"We understand that the shift to fully remote classes for two weeks will impose a burden on both instructors and students," Smith said in a written statement. "We believe, however, that this two-week modification is important to managing the dramatic increase in cases of COVID-19 occurring across the nation, the state, and our region. We are confident that this modification to the winter course schedule, combined with our effective EMU Safe protocols, will position us well to resume the regular course schedule on Monday, Jan. 24."
EMU Safe protocols include requirements for vaccine and testing for some students and staff, indoor face masking, and daily health screenings. The university offers free on-campus testing Monday through Friday.
