LITTLE ROCK – Arkansas State University System’s six current institutions, as well as future member Henderson State University, intend to return to in-person classes on campuses this fall as part of the COVID-19 pandemic recovery, Chuck Welch, the system’s president, announced today.
Guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and the Arkansas Department of Health will be used to formulate all plans in the coming weeks with a focus on maximum health and safety measures for students, faculty, staff, and campus visitors. The plans will include reopening residence halls at Arkansas State University in Jonesboro, Arkansas State University-Beebe, and Henderson State, Welch said.
“Our chancellors and their response teams have done a tremendous job guiding our employees and students through this difficult time,” Welch said. “Students have made clear they are eager to return to campus and their traditional classes. We want to move in that direction carefully with a focus on keeping everyone as safe and healthy as possible.”
Federal and state guidelines are expected to evolve over the next few months, Welch said, so he has asked the institutions to consider multiple scenarios and plan to be flexible regarding local needs and situations.
“Safety measures for fall classes that we develop in the next few weeks may be very different by August,” Welch said. “We don’t want to rush with a definitive plan now knowing state and federal guidelines are being changed in phases. While we can’t realistically expect complete campus normalcy this fall, we will make every effort to ensure our students have the best possible experiences on campus under the difficult circumstances.”
Each ASU System institution has a COVID-19 website page with information regarding campus updates on various topics, summer classes, commencement, and other issues.
They can be found at:
• Arkansas State University – https://www.AState.edu/Coronavirus
• ASU-Beebe – http://www.asub.edu/coronavirus-information/index.aspx
• ASU-Mountain Home – https://asumh.edu/pages/main/535/safety
• ASU-Newport – https://www.asun.edu/coronavirus
• ASU Mid-South – https://www.asumidsouth.edu/student-information/
• ASU Three Rivers – http://asutr.edu
• Henderson State University.– https://www.hsu.edu/pages/coronavirus/
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The new White River Now mobile app has started featuring regular COVID-19 updates and podcasts. In addition to the updates featured on the White River Now family of radio stations, the COVID-19 podcast section also features new interviews with Stone County Judge Stacey Avey, Batesville Mayor Rick Elumbaugh, Independence County Judge Robert Griffin, state Sen. Stu Smith, and state Sen. James Sturch. Download the free White River Now mobile app today from the Google Play Store or the Apple App Store, and keep up-to-date on all local and state coronavirus information and to listen to the streams of White River Now radio stations.
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