CLEVELAND — Editor's Note: The above video aired on March 26, 2021
Even though the calendar has just flipped to the month of April, Cleveland State University is already planning ahead for this coming fall.
On Thursday, CSU announced that it will plan to welcome all of its students, faculty and staff back to campus this fall.
“Our community members have demonstrated that they are committed to following our safety protocols and protecting themselves and others,” said CSU President Harlan Sands in a release announcing the decision. “Combine that with the progress we’re seeing in vaccinations of students, faculty and staff, and we’re excited about the fall semester.”
CSU says it has one of the lowest COVID test positivity rates in the nation for urban universities and successfully held more than 40 percent of its classes on campus this spring.
The announcement means that most CSU classes and labs will be in-person and on-campus. The university will fully open its residence halls and offer a near-full slate of residence life events, campus dining, student activities and student support services. The university will also be working to safely re-open campus offices.
Thursday's announcement comes as Gov. Mike DeWine is planning to make the COVID-19 vaccine available to all college students in Ohio starting next week. Cleveland State says that by late August it expects all faculty, staff, and students will be vaccinated and ready to return.
RELATED: Gov. Mike DeWine: State to begin vaccinating every college student who wants a dose next week
Vaccinations will be required for all students living on campus.
“We will be doing our best to ensure that every member of our university community is vaccinated,” Sands added. “Now that the vaccine is available to everyone over the age of 16 in Ohio, we’re encouraging our students, faculty and staff to take advantage of the fantastic mass vaccination center at our Wolstein arena or another site that’s conveient.”
COVID-19 safety measures will remain in place for the fall. CSU will continue to require masking, physical distancing and other precautions.
Related stories: