FINDLAY, Ohio — The University of Findlay is preparing to welcome students back to campus this week.
This year, the University of Findlay is preparing to host around 3,500 students, so leaders have made sure to have all their Oiler Start Safe & Stay Safe health and safety protocols in place during the ongoing pandemic.
Classes will host only 50% occupancy for in-person lessons and many faculty members have online and virtual options for most classes.
Currently about 1,100 students are assigned housing and will have to wear masks everywhere except inside of their dorm rooms. Large gatherings in the dorms are prohibited.
The plan even accounts for how classes will be dismissed to help with crowd control.
"So, for instance, if I have a class of 30; I'm going to let 10 of you go now, and then in about 30 seconds another 10, 30 seconds another 10, hopefully to reduce some of that traffic in the hallways," said UF V.P. of Student Affairs Dave Emsweller
Emsweller said the R.A.'s have been on campus for about two weeks and are being tasked to help set the tone for health and safety compliance among the students to ensure everyone is doing their part to ensure a healthy campus.
"Education is really the big part right now as people come back. We have got to make sure people wear masks when they're with each other. We have to make sure that they think about social distancing. The more they can do those things, I think that will help us to continue having live classes," said Emsweller
University of Findlay students will begin moving in on campus later this week.
On Friday afternoon, they will be holding their traditional Arch Ceremony for first year students. But because they are not allowing friends or family to visit the event, they will be streaming the ceremony online.
Classes at UF are set to begin on Aug. 17.