Morehouse to start the semester online due to COVID-19 surge

Morehouse will join a small group of colleges and universities that will shift online next semester because of the coronavirus.

The college announced Thursday that students will attend online Jan. 12 through Jan. 28.

Emory University announced Tuesday that it would start back online after the winter holiday.

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Also on Thursday, Clayton County Public Schools south of Atlanta said it would start the semester online next week from Wednesday through Jan. 7. They’ll be back in person on Jan. 10.

“We have to act with caution,” Superintendent Morcease Beasley said in the district’s announcement on Facebook. He said it would give employees and students time to isolate at home should they test positive for COVID-19 over the winter holiday.

Morehouse is requiring students and employees to produce a negative test result before returning to campus. All events on campus are canceled through January, and students cannot return to residence halls until at least Jan. 26.

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“Students should not make travel plans until the move-in schedule is published,” Morehouse President David A. Thomas warned in his announcement.

Morehouse staff will begin to return Jan. 24, and students will be back in their classrooms Jan. 31.

At least, that’s the plan for now.

“Our protocols are dynamic and subject to change based on public health conditions,” Thomas wrote, “so please watch for updates and developments regarding our return to campus.”

About the Author

Ty Tagami

Ty Tagami is a staff writer for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Since joining the newspaper in 2002, he has written about everything from hurricanes to homelessness. He has deep experience covering local government and education, and can often be found under the Gold Dome when lawmakers meet or in a school somewhere in the state.

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