The presidents of Clark Atlanta University, Morehouse College, and Spelman College announced last week a move to virtual instruction for all students during the Fall 2020 semester.
Morehouse’s College of Medicine will move forward with a previously announced hybrid model of in-person and virtual instruction, given the institution’s role in healthcare delivery and the training of public health and medical professionals.
Specific plans and policies differ for each AUCC member institution, and each has issued guidance for its students and other constituencies. The difficult but necessary decision is due to the current surge of COVID-19 cases and was made with the guidance of medical experts, the presidents said in a statement.
Specifically, it responds to current rates of infection, hospitalizations, and deaths in the Atlanta area as well as in many geographies from which our students would need to travel to get to our campuses.
“The AUCC’s vibrant and interconnected community has a long tradition of collaboration, community, and shared resources,” said Clark Atlanta University President George French Ph.D., chair of the AUCC Council of Presidents. “We announce this decision with a heavy heart.
“We know how vital the in-person connection and bonds formed throughout the AUCC are to our students,” French continued. “ We wish the situation were different, but we must do our part to help support the health and safety of our community and we are committed to being part of the solution as we work together to stop the spread of COVID-19.”
Given that the AUCC is comprised of historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs), the announcement also took into account current data on the disproportionately negative impact of COVID-19 on Black populations as well as the increased spread of the virus within young adult populations.
“The health and safety of AUCC students, faculty, and staff was at the heart of this deeply disappointing decision,” explained Todd Greene, executive director of the AUCC. “Through real-time monitoring of the distressing COVID-19 trends both in Atlanta and across the United States, it is now clear that the surges in COVID-19 cases in Georgia and in the home states of our students makes it impossible to safely resume in-person learning this fall. The AUCC looks forward to welcoming students back to campus when it is safe to do so.”
