Lafayette’s mission of providing outstanding opportunities for intellectual, social, and personal growth is grounded in our traditional residential experience. Based on expectations for the continuing downward trend of COVID-19 cases and the progress of vaccine availability across the country, the College will return to normal, pre-COVID-19 operations for fall 2021. We expect all classes to be held in person and to be able to offer our typical array of residential learning experiences and extracurricular activities to students.
Last fall, Lafayette held all classes remotely because of public health challenges posed by COVID-19. This semester, about 30% of classes are being taught in person and about 85% of the College’s students are studying on campus; the rest of the student body is studying from home. Thanks to the ongoing efforts of the entire Lafayette community, our rate of COVID-19 infection has stayed relatively low this semester, which is encouraging as we look toward the fall term.
The administration has discussed expectations for the fall with the Faculty Academic Planning Committee. Students will return to campus for in-person instruction; remote or hybrid courses will not be offered on an optional basis.
More details will be available in the coming weeks, but with admissions offers now in the hands of potential students and the fall course schedule in the process of being assembled, we hope that confirming expectations for the fall semester will assist students, families, faculty, and staff in their planning.