This archive report was first published on 7 July 2020.
On July 7, 2020, Princeton University President Christopher L. Eisgruber announced the university's plan to reopen its campus, albeit with significant restrictions. According to Eisgruber, Princeton's preferred model of education emphasizes in-person engagement, but in-person engagement is what spreads the virus.
Princeton will offer a tuition discount this fall, with students charged 10 percent less - $48,501 for the coming year, instead of $53,890. However, it remains unclear how students receiving financial aid will be affected, as they account for more than 60 percent of undergraduates.
The university's decision to limit campus access is based on the fact that most undergraduates will be on campus only half the year - freshmen and juniors in the fall, sophomores and seniors in the spring.
Harvard University has also announced its plan to reopen its campus, with a similar approach to Princeton. No more than 40 percent of its undergraduates will be allowed on campus at a time during the next academic year. All first-year students will be allowed in the fall semester, along with some students in other years whose home environments are not conducive to learning.
At Harvard, all classes will be held online, even for students living on campus. The university will also offer a summer term next year of two tuition-free courses for all students who had to study away from campus for the full academic year.
Many universities are requiring behavioral contracts in which students agree to wear face masks in public, to be tested regularly for the coronavirus, and to limit travel and socializing. If they break the rules, they can be disciplined.
