BUFFALO, N.Y. — Just as administrators in grades K through 12 schools try to figure out how to reopen amid COVID concerns, Western New York institutions of higher learning also hope to bring students back in for that in person learning experience come September.
Of course, that all depends on trends with infection and positivity rates.
The University at Buffalo is currently operating at only 25 to 30 percent of classes open for in-person instruction at this time. The administration did put out some information this past week for undergraduate and graduate students, just as registration for the fall semester is about to begin.
UB vice provost of academic affairs Graham Hammill told 2 on Your Side, "At this point in our planning, we are anticipating 84 percent of classes to be in-person, and the rest would be remote."
Hammill says student density is obviously the major concern for them with any potential spread of COVID.
"As long as we have sort of regular density in classrooms, we can have in-person instruction fully, or to the degree that's possible," Hammill said.
Hammill added: "Our plans really make the assumption that we're going to keep going in a good direction, that the restrictions are going to be, are going to lighten up, because everybody's going to get vaccinated, and people are going to continue to wear masks and distance until we're in a better spot."
For the Buffalo State Bengals, their "Return to the Roar" policy expects to offer a full slate of in person classes, while summer classes will be remote.
Then there's Niagara University, telling students to return for what they call "Fall Power Full Power" for September.
As It turns out, some smaller colleges such as D'Youville already have more in-person instruction.
Vice president for academic affairs Georita Frierson explained: "As of the spring semester we are probably 70 to 80 percent back in the classroom. But we have a variety of teaching modalities to make sure that we follow social distancing protocols and safety."