Over the past weeks, Lipscomb has begun to announce the precautions that will be in place involving COVID-19 for the fall semester.
According to the new plans, many restrictions that were in place during the 2020-2021 academic year will be lifted in hopes that many things will return to normal. According to President Randolph Lowry, this is due in part to how well the Lipscomb community was able to follow the guidelines in place for the past two semesters.
“We have not missed a beat as together we have turned challenges into opportunities, thriving in a way that will set the tone for our future in this new world,” said President Lowry in an email to Lipscomb students, faculty and staff.
Not only will the upcoming fall 2021 semester see Lipscomb return to a regular in-person model for classes, but class capacity will be fully restored. Additionally, capacity will be increased for on-campus dining, residence halls and sporting events.
As of April 22, face coverings are no longer required outdoors or when alone indoors. Masks are still required in all buildings on campus when there are others around and social distancing is highly encouraged.
These guidelines will likely continue into the fall semester, but all plans are subject to change as governmental and CDC regulations are updated.
Some questions remain as to what the return to campus may look like in the fall, particularly regarding COVID testing and vaccinations. According to Lipscomb’s Incident Management Team, these plans are being made and will be communicated to faculty and students as soon as they are finalized.
“We are consulting with our medical experts as well as looking to guidance from higher education entities and local health department experts. We plan to issue the return to campus protocols as soon as possible so students and families can be informed and make any plans needed, such as those needed to comply with the January 2021 return to campus protocols,” said the Incident Management Team in an email to Lipscomb students, faculty and staff on April 22.
Lipscomb will be hosting a Bison Vaccine Clinic on April 28. University students, faculty and staff age 18 and up are eligible to attend this event free of charge. 300 doses of the Moderna vaccine will be available on a first-come, first-serve basis.
Everyone who receives their first dose from the Bison Vaccine Clinic will be issued a vaccine card. They will then be able to return to campus for their second dose in May or bring their card to any provider issuing the Moderna vaccine.
In order to receive a COVID-19 vaccine from the clinic, you must fill out Lipscomb’s consent and screening form. Any student who completes both doses of their vaccine should submit their proof of vaccination to their Med+Proctor account.
While we don’t know exactly what next semester will look like, it is becoming clear that things are returning a little closer to normal.
Lumination will continue to provide updates about Lipscomb’s COVID-19 guidelines