Students and alumni of Howard University gather on campus. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)
Howard University has delayed the start of its Spring 2022 semester due to a surge of covid-19 cases in the region. The university made the announcement on Monday, Dec. 28 that it will push the start of classes to Jan. 18 in a news release.
In the release, Howard notes its public health teal is closely monitoring covid-19 transmission data as well as local and federal guidelines and referenced the CDC’s prediction there maybe a “potential peak” of cases in January.
“Our most recent weekly positivity rate has increased to 19 percent, which is the highest number we have seen throughout the pandemic. At that rate, we would not have enough beds to quarantine positive students living in the residence halls, if students returned on the originally scheduled start date for the spring semester,” the release states.
“As a result, we will delay the start of the Spring 2022 semester for undergraduate and graduate students until Tuesday, January 18, 2022,” the release continued. “Face-to-face courses will begin on that date. University administrative operations will begin on January 3, 2022. Students in professional programs will receive specific guidance from their schools to accommodate accreditation and licensure requirements.”
The high-profile HBCU is requiring all faculty, staff and students to show proof of a negative PCR test within four days of arrival. They must also receive a booster shot by Jan. 31, 2022 if eligible. For those who have yet to become eligible, they have 30 days to comply when they do.
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With the announcement, Howard joins a growing list of higher education institutions that are either delaying classes or moving to virtual instruction as a result of the growing number of covid-19 cases. Yale and Syracuse universities are among the latter group.
Though delayed, Howard still plans to have in-person classes. On social media, some students urged the university to follow the lead of other institutions and go fully virtual, accusing some of their peers of lying about being vaccinated.
“Make spring semester online while you’re at it. ‘Cause not only are cases rising, but people are lying about being vaxxed on campus. It’s dangerous for all of us,” Twitter user @brielle_alana wrote.
“Take classes online lol. Go to a smaller school, in a smaller city away from natives. This was a post addressing Howard University students because our students are lying about vaccination status,” @foreverambre wrote.
User @chrssycrackhead agreed, tweeting, “if you don’t trust the government or you’re not a sheep or you don’t wanna put it in your body then whatever. the question is why are you ON CAMPUS? if you’re anti-vaxx stand on that hill and take your classes online.”
Others took the opposite stance and said Howard University students shouldn’t be forced to take a vaccine they’re not comfortable getting just to get a college education.
“Maybe because people still want to get their education and are not comfortable with the vaccination or can’t get it because of health reasons or even religious reasons duhh,” @DattgalMali tweeted in response to someone asking why unvaccinated students came to campus.
User @briaaa2x echoed @DattgalMali’s sentiment, responding, “girl what ? read what you said ! i can’t get an education cause something i’m not comfortable doing. my decision of not getting the vaccine is not affecting not a soul . cause the same way i can get it a vaccinated person can as well ! #staymaskedup.”
PHOTO: Students and alumni of Howard University, alma mater of Vice President-elect Kamala Harris, gather on campus to celebrate her victory with President-elect Joe Biden, Saturday evening, Nov. 7, 2020. Harris, a daughter of Indian and Jamaican immigrants, is set to become the highest-ranking woman in the nation’s history. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)
