Bellarmine recently announced the university is planning to return to operations in Fall 2021 that will far more closely resemble pre-pandemic campus life.
鈥淏ellarmine is committed to an in-person campus experience that bolsters the deeply held relationships our community cherishes,鈥� said Dr. Susan M. Donovan, Bellarmine president. 鈥淭he pandemic was immeasurably trying, but our community has persevered, and we鈥檙e charting a course to land on the other side next fall.鈥�
Bellarmine鈥檚 COVID-19 committees, which have worked throughout the pandemic to keep campus healthy, are working now to ensure a safe transition to in-person campus operations.
鈥淚 know and appreciate what a tremendous lift life in the pandemic has been for the entire community, students, staff and faculty alike,鈥� Donovan said. 鈥淚鈥檇 like to offer my profound gratitude to every individual, who has sacrificed so much, to keep our Bellarmine family safe and make our collective movement forward possible.鈥�
Classes
Classes will be largely in-person, as they were before the pandemic. The university will continue to offer limited virtual course options for those who are at high risk or uncomfortable with any level of possible exposure.
Residential Life
The housing application is now live. Students may begin the first part of their application.鈥疶he full range of residential options is available. Students will have the opportunity to share spaces with peers again, with health and safety measures remaining a priority.
Summer Session
A variety of summer courses will be offered in various modalities to keep students on track and progressing toward graduation. More than 250 classes span multiple sessions, giving students a full range of options and flexibility. To help make the summer term more affordable, undergraduate costs have been reduced to $625 a credit hour.
Work life for faculty and staff
The university is examining lessons from work life during the pandemic to see if there are ways to enhance operations in the summer, fall and beyond. The university intends to build on the lessons from remote work experiences to support on-campus activities in the fall. Employees will be encouraged to provide feedback on the best ways to accomplish this.
鈥淲hile there are steps ahead of us, the possibilities of returning to a more familiar campus environment is so hopeful and energizing,鈥� said Helen-Grace Ryan, vice-president for Student Affairs. 鈥淲e鈥檝e heard from our students just how ready they are for a fully in-person campus experience.鈥�
Bellarmine will continue to announce more information about the fall as this semester progresses.
Until then, the campus community is encouraged to be ever-vigilant in the fight against COVID-19 and responsibly adhere to established safety precautions.