DeKALB – NIU announced Wednesday that it plans to offer primarily face-to-face classes and student support services, increased capacity for housing, social activities, athletics and events for the fall 2021 semester, according to a Wednesday email from Beth Ingram, executive vice president and provost. 

Roughly 70% of classes, except for the School of Law, will be conducted face-to-face; the majority of these courses will be fully in-person, although that percentage includes some hybrid models, according to the email. Students living in residence halls will also be allowed to have roommates.

“We are evaluating all of our classrooms to ensure that they are equipped with appropriate technology for fall classes,” Ingram said in the email. “This has been a joint effort of the Center for Innovative Teaching and Learning, the Division of Information Technology and the Office of the Executive Vice President and Provost to ensure that the voices of faculty and staff are front and center as we purchase and install technology to meet your needs.” 

Many of the expectations outlined in the Protecting the Pack plan, such as surveillance testing, will continue to help support the health of students and faculty, according to the email. 

The university said plans for the fall semester are coming together because of the availability of COVID-19 vaccines, and the university encourages students and faculty to get vaccinated, according to the email.

On Wednesday, the university announced all NIU employees were eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine at the Convocation Center. When clinics are available for employees, they must show their NIU OneCard to be verified. 

“While campus life will continue to be different than in pre-pandemic times, there is cause for much optimism,” Ingram said in the email. “I want to thank you for your efforts over the past year; NIU’s success in navigating a difficult situation wouldn’t have been possible without the efforts of our faculty and staff.”