JACKSONVILLE, Fla — It has been about a week since students returned to Jacksonville University's campus. The dean of students, Kristie Gover, said so far, most students are following policies in place to protect the community from COVID-19.
"We are stressing the importance of personal responsibility," she said. "We are best when we are in person. I think every college and university would agree."
Some of those universities around the country have tried in-person classes, however, and are already scaling back. UNC-Chapel Hill and Notre Dame are suspending in-person classes after COVID-19 outbreaks. Many cases were contracted at off-campus events, like parties, school administrators there said.
Off-campus events are where Gover said the administration at JU is trusting students to make the right decisions.
"We know we really have to rely on students to make good decisions outside the classroom," she said. "We're fortunate that we’re in a small community and we’re able to reach our students in different ways because we have fewer students and we can communicate with them. We're relying on the relationships that we have with our students to really encourage them to practice social responsibility."
If students feel like another student violates that social responsibility, by hosting a party, for example, they can anonymously report it to the dean's office. In the student code of conduct, there's an accountability piece, Gover said. Discipline is on a case-by-case basis, she said.
There's a similar reporting protocol in place at the University of North Florida.
"We all want to remain open and in-person this semester and throughout the academic year as well, and I believe our students feel that way as well and will be willing to practice that social responsibility," Gover said.
What would it take to suspend in-person classes at JU? Gover said they'd look at several factors before making that decision. Some of those factors include the number of cases on campus, the percent positive on campus compared to the city of Jacksonville, and making sure there are adequate quarantine spaces on campus.
Like most of the other colleges in the area, JU's classrooms and dorms have limited capacity in order to social distance. There are hybrid learning choices, with in-person and online classes and masks are mandatory inside and when you can't social distance outside.
When classes start in about two weeks at Florida State College at Jacksonville, classes will mostly be online.
"If they can do it online, we've done that," President and CEO of FSCJ, Dr. John Avendano said.
The only students on campus for in-person learning will be those whose classes are hands-on, like students who have labs.
"The reality is until we know more about the spread of the virus and its long-term effects, I think we need to take every step as a cautious approach," Avendano said.