Troy announces move online after Thanksgiving, masks required

Emma DanielEditor-in-Chief   Troy University will be returning to campus for Fall 2020, but with mask requirements, social distancing guidelines, coronavirus testing, and no return to campus after Thanksgiving break, according to a university email sent Wednesday evening. Face coverings will be required on campus in places where social distancing is difficult, such as in classrooms, labs, and communal spaces. Masks don’t have to be worn in dorm rooms, alone in an office, in a vehicle, or outdoors where social distancing can be respected. The university is also “reconfiguring classrooms to allow for social distancing,” the email said. Troy plans to move students to bigger classrooms, divide classes into smaller groups to attend on different days, and blend in-person and online instruction to keep students safer during the pandemic. Gov. Kay Ivey recently announced $1.9 billion in federal relief will be spent on COVID-19 testing at public universities in Alabama, but the university is still working on rolling out testing procedures. Anyone with symptoms of or exposure to COVID-19 should notify dean of students Herb Reeves or Human Resources and begin self-quarantining. After Thanksgiving break, all class instruction and final exams will be held on Canvas. “The challenges posed by COVID-19 are complex and ever-evolving, and the university has several contingency plans ready to respond to the changing conditions,” wrote senior vice chancellor for academic affairs Dr. Lance Tatum in the email. “The challenge of COVID-19 will require us all to work together as a Trojan family. “By wearing a face covering, practicing social distancing and good hand hygiene, staying home when sick and self-reporting exposure to the coronavirus, we can all do our part to stop the spread and ensure a safe, successful return to campus this fall.” Students can keep up with Troy University’s coronavirus cases and updates at troy.edu/coronavirus.