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Updated: 5:43 p.m., Thursday, Feb. 25, 2021

The University of Akron plans to bring a majority of students back to in-person instruction on campus for the fall semester of 2021, according to plans outlined by the university in a Thursday announcement.

A majority of classes on the university鈥檚 main campus in Akron and branches in Orrville, Medina and Lakewood will be conducted in classrooms, according to a press release. Akron鈥檚 administration feels it will be safe for most classes to return to in-person instruction in part because of the COVID-19 vaccination rollout, the release said.

鈥淲e鈥檝e just decided that we鈥檙e going to be optimistic about this, that people will have vaccines, and that we will be able to have classes that are three-foot spacing, instead of the six-foot that鈥檚 currently recommended,鈥� John Wiencek, the uiniversity鈥檚 executive vice president and provost told ideastream Thursday.

The university  has relied primarily on remote learning during the pandemic, with limited in-person classes for labs and other hands-on learning. The administration will abide by state and federal guidelines to prioritize the health and safety of students, staff and faculty, according to the release.

Classes will be split between three-foot and six-foot distancing options, Wiencek said, and roughly 20 percent of courses will continue remotely. Contingency plans for course delivery, including increased social distancing and virtual options, will also be developed for use on an as-needed basis.

鈥淪ocially distant and virtual sections will not require any changes even if we have a COVID resurgence, so these offerings will provide a solid foundation for faculty and student schedules this fall,鈥� the university said in the return plan on its website.

Students and faculty with health risks related to COVID-19 will be accommodated, Wiencek said.

鈥淲e鈥檙e required to accommodate both students and faculty in that regard, and we have been doing so in the past year,鈥� Wiencek said. 鈥淲e鈥檒l continue to do so into the future. We鈥檙e used to doing that kind of thing.鈥�

Campus housing options will allow students to choose whether they want to have a roommate and the on-campus living requirement for freshmen will be waived. Options for students who want to live without a roommate will vary depending on availability, the university said.

鈥淲hile we strongly believe the residential experience benefits students academically and socially, we want all students who desire a UA education to have the opportunity to attend this fall, regardless of their housing arrangements,鈥� the university鈥檚 stateme said.

All dining spaces are expected to be open, and group dining will be available if conditions allow. Recreational activities, including new student orientation, will include a mix of in-person, on campus and virtual events.

The University of Akron is awaiting guidance on sporting events from the NCAA and Mid-American Conference, but plans to allow a limited number of spectators.

鈥淚t鈥檚 all around who can spectate, what kind of crowds will be there, what the distancing will be,鈥� Wiencek said. 鈥淚 think those are even more uncertain than what鈥檚 going on in the classroom.鈥�

Study abroad programs will resume 鈥渁s soon as it is safe to do so,鈥� according to the school.

University administrators are confident students will be safe in classrooms, Wiencek said, where masks and cleaning protocols can be enforced. The university also is trying to push messaging about good behavior outside of class, but will likely continue to need a quarantine and isolation policy for when students get sick, Wiencek said.

鈥淭hese are young adults who are learning what it means to be an adult. Sometimes, the only way that you can learn as a human being is to go out and make a mistake and learn from that,鈥� Wiencek said. 鈥淲e are going to have students that make mistakes, and that just points to the importance of testing and contact tracing and making sure we appropriately isolate.鈥�

Funding during the pandemic has been a struggle for the university, which faced a $65 million shortfall in its budget before the 2020-21 semester. The administration  made cuts to make up the difference, including  consolidating 11 colleges down to five and  laying off nearly 200 staff and faculty.

But university administrators announced earlier this month it would  restore employee wages to pre-pandemic levels after receiving federal financial assistance and revising its budget forecast. Those funds have helped the university balance its budget for the next few years, Wiencek said, but the university will need higher enrollment to aid its financial status after that.

鈥淚f enrollment numbers turn in the positive direction, we鈥檙e going to be on our way to having revenue and expenses matched,鈥� Wiencek said, 鈥渁nd then we can start focusing on our mission and the things that have always made the University of Akron great.鈥�