S.C. State University postpones start of fall 2021 classes

Orangeburg, SC (WOLO) — South Carolina State University has decided to postpone classes for their fall semester by a week in order to come up with additional campus safety protocols as COVID-19 cases continue to spike statewide.

School officials announced their decision to start classes on August 23rd instead of August 18th as previously planned so they can teach incoming students more about COVID-19 safety and encourage them to take advantage of on campus vaccination clinics.

To date, University officials say they have already introduced new safety measures which include having all students and staff wear facial coverings inside facilities on campus, and requiring all students who stay on campus to undergo weekly COVID tests. In addition to those changes, officials say they plan to increase santitization measures, and allow faculty members the ability to work on how to shift to digital platforms if cases of the virus continue to grow.

University President Alexander Conyers released a statement saying in part,

“As the university steps up its response to this pandemic, we will do all we can to encourage students, faculty, and staff to get vaccinated if they have not done so already,” Conyers said. “I have authorized the implementation of campus-wide incentives designed to encourage members of our campus community to receive the vaccine.”