CMU starts fall semester after testing all students, staff for COVID-19
FAYETTE, Mo. (KMIZ)
Central Methodist University is set to return to in-person and online classes for its fall semester on Tuesday amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
The start of fall semester comes days after the university reported eight students had tested positive for the virus.
According the university's website, the eight CMU students are still considered active cases, while four staff members have recovered from the virus.
The university is focusing on six precautions to help keep students and staff safe amid COVID-19, referred to as CMU's six pillars of safety.
- CMU has already tested staff and students with its anti-gen testing that provides results within an hour. The university will test individuals more frequently if needed, while athletes will be tested before competing.
- CMU's symptom monitoring will occur through a new phone app that checks students temperature using facial recognition in each building.
- Air cleaners were installed. The university cited a 99.4 percent reduction rate towards inactivating COVID-19 with the filters.
- Extra cleaning will be done throughout campus, adding a third shift cleaning crew, and increased cleaning schedules in higher-traffic areas such as residence halls and dining areas.
- The university will require all students, faculty and staff to wear face masks indoors.
- CMU will implement social distancing, particularly in classrooms and dining halls.
CMU has even more safety precautions in place, such as adding a second dining hall and grab-and-go options, adding several new sections of classes to reduce class sizes, and the university's classrooms will have in-classroom cameras so students are able to simultaneously tune into class for online learning.
The university has also set up a special quarantine area for infected students.
CMU's schedule has been adjusted as classes and final exams will be remote after Thanksgiving, but residence halls and dining services remain open until Dec. 11.
December commencement is still to be determined and activities like family or homecoming weekend will not take place for the school year.
