Carnegie Mellon University going back to in-person learning

With the latest wave of the omicron variant peaking and beginning to taper off, Carnegie Mellon University is allowing a large majority of its classes to once again be taken in person.

A campuswide email signed by provost Jim Garrett, dean of students Gina Casalegno and vice-president of operations and covid-19 coordinator Daryl Weinert said the new policy takes effect Jan. 31.

Courses originally scheduled to be taught remotely will stay remote.

According to the email, indoor meetings, student organizations and university-sponsored events will be allowed up to 50 people or 50% of the indoor space capacity (whichever is larger).

Outdoor meetings and university-sponsored events are allowed up to 75% of outdoor facility capacity.

CMU had anticipated a return to in-person classes at the end of this month after announcing on Jan. 6 that the university was going to “mostly remote instruction” for the first weeks of the spring semester. It meant only courses designated as in-person would continue as planned but with “proper mitigation procedures in place.”

Also effective Jan. 31, CMU is shortening isolation and quarantine periods from 10 days to 7.

“Given the highly vaccinated nature of our community, we are experiencing limited severe illness,” the email said. “In addition, cooperation and compliance with our mitigation protocols continues to help all of us avoid unnecessary exposure.”

CMU is also planning a pilot initiative to have a small number of vending machines on campus that will provide rapid at-home antigen tests and KN95 masks to faculty, staff and students. The machines are expected to be in place in early February.