The deciding body for the University system in the state of Florida is moving forward with plans to try and open the university campuses in the state starting this fall. After taking most of the spring semester and all of the summer semester to close campuses in Florida, the group is looking at what the universities are planning in order to make a decision later next month.
We are trying to get back to norms here in Florida as well as all across the country and part of that norm is college sports, which we have been without since early March. Opening up the campuses would be a huge first step.
The Florida Board of Governors released a statement on how they plan to get everything rolling in the fall.
TALLAHASSEE – The State University System Task Force has been working diligently for weeks to put in place a framework for re-opening university campuses in the fall. As the task force continues its work, Board of Governors’ chair Syd Kitson has directed State University System Chancellor, Marshall Criser III, to develop guidelines to present to the Board of Governors at a public meeting on May 28, 2020. Universities will then present their individual plans, based on these guidelines, to the Board of Governors at a board meeting on June 23, 2020.
“The task force is focusing on developing guidelines that will prioritize the health and well-being of students, faculty, staff, vendors, and visitors as our institutions continue to battle the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Chair Kitson. “Our measured and thoughtful approach will be informed by science and medical professionals, and we are working hard to develop sound guidelines that enhance campus safety, as well as continue to meet the Board’s rigorous academic performance and student success goals.”
In setting these guidelines, the task force has recognized that each university has a dedicated mission with unique strengths and characteristics, as well as an extraordinary environment that includes densely populated urban areas, more rural settings and students from all regions of the state, the nation, and the world.
“Over the last few months the State University System has risen to the COVID-19 challenge by nimbly and effectively moving classes to remote instruction, and also stepping up by giving back to their communities and leveraging their expertise to address some of the most critical challenges posed by this global pandemic,” said Chancellor Marshall Criser, III. “As we move forward with a framework for the fall, we will be mindful that a healthy campus environment and academic rigor remain paramount.”
This doesn’t answer the question about sports and whether they will be played or how they will be played in terms of fans in the stands, but it is a major step forward to making it happen.
