LOUISVILLE, Ky. — The University of Louisville welcomed back its students to campus for the start of a new school year that will be very different because of the coronavirus pandemic.
While things will be different, there are some things that never change on move-in day. UofL President Dr. Neeli Bendapudi continued her tradition of welcoming new students moving in.
"We actually are seeing extremely strong enrollment with freshmen actually at an uptick from last year," she said.
The University of Louisville is following a hybrid plan for the fall semester, with classes being offered both in-person and online. Students are allowed to have a schedule of only online courses, but not every course is offered online.
"The reality is that this virus is going to be around for a while and we've got to learn how to live with it," Bendapudi said.
According to UofL's fall plan, all students, faculty, and staff must comply with state and federal safety guidelines, and everyone is required to wear a mask and practice physical distancing in public areas, including classrooms, offices, and bathrooms.
"Obviously I'm not going to want to make anyone uncomfortable so to that extent when you recognize that you're doing it for other people, then hopefully it shouldn't be too bad," incoming freshman Daphne Chong said.
"She's got all the PPE," Tammy Quinn, who's daughter Kylie is an incoming freshman, said. "She's got gloves, the hand sanitizer, the thermometer."
The university has also made testing available to all faculty, students, and staff and will conduct contact tracing to monitor and prevent the spread of COVID-19. The university is also increasing the availability of hand sanitizer and disinfection kits in classrooms and other high-touch areas. UofL is also increasing airflow through its buildings when possible.
Bendapudi said the university is in a different position than it was in March when it made the decision to cancel all in-person classes and pivoted to online learning. She said there is a lot more research surrounding the coronavirus and the university has also had the experience of housing students on campus during the pandemic, with around 2,700 students remaining at school after classroom instruction was shut down.
"For so many students, we are their home," she said. "They are safer here on campus, they think than the alternatives that they have."
For many of the students moving in, staying at home, and taking courses online was not what they signed up for when they enrolled at the university.
"I packed way too early so I haven't had anything to wear for the last couple months. I'm so excited," Chong said. "I think I'm at an age where even if it was online, I need to have a new experience and I want to be somewhere else. And I love my parents, but I think I'm ready to be on my own."
"I didn't want to stay at home and have the same experience," Kylie Quinn said. "Hopefully it gets better by the time I graduate."
"I had my breakdown last night, so I think she's going to be good and there won't be crying today," Tammy Quinn said.
"That college experience, we try to preserve as much as possible because if you're a freshman coming on campus, you've been looking forward to it for a very, very long time," Bendapudi said.
More information on UofL's fall plan can be found here.