CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The University of North Carolina Charlotte is delaying the start of in-person instruction by three weeks for the fall semester.
In a letter addressed to Niner Nation, UNCC chancellor Sharon Gaber said classes will still begin as planned on Sept. 7, but they will only be offered online.
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In-person instruction will begin on Oct. 1. All undergraduate classes will be suspended on Sept. 28 and 29 as students move in and transition to on-campus learning.
"I talked with my parents and realized it would be better for me to live off campus, especially for my health," junior Gracyn Chamblin.
She wanted to live on campus this fall.
“I have a weaker immune system, so I was anxious about living in close quarters with 28 other girls,” Chamblin said.
On Saturday, UNCC Public Health Sciences faculty also sent a letter to Gaber asking to start the semester with virtual-only instruction.
The university has extended the deadline to cancel on-campus housing contracts to 11:59 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 4.
Gaber said the decision comes after talks with the UNC System and the Mecklenburg County Health Department.
“In recent weeks, Mecklenburg County has seen COVID-19-positive cases start to decline and public health officials are encouraged by these trends,” Gaber said. “However, the county continues to have the highest number of outbreaks and clusters in the state. While the community is making considerable progress to slow the rate of transmission, we do not want to lose this momentum.”
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Gaber said UNCC will continue its on-campus housing and dining services for students already on campus, international students, and others with extenuating circumstances.
Student move-in days have been shifted to Sept. 26-29.
“The decision to adjust our plan was not made lightly,” Gaber said. “I recognize that these changes will be frustrating for some and a relief for others. However, this decision is made with the health and well-being of our students and employees as our top priorities. The additional time allows the county’s infection rate to further stabilize, creating a safer environment for our University and our community this fall.”
UNCC said it is working to reduce the density of residence halls to achieve single-room occupancy for residents.
Reporter Tina Terry asked if officials will use other buildings to spread students out or move some of them off campus.
There were no specific responses to those questions, but officials said they believe housing cancellations will help them accomplish the goal.
“At this point, you can’t ignore what’s happening,” sophomore Madison Brinkley said. “There are some students trying to go on with their regular lifestyle, but you can’t do that with the pandemic and everything in the world right now.”
Gaber said the school is working with property managers to ensure off-campus gatherings limit the spread of COVID-19.
“Parties and other events that would have been harmless a year ago now pose real dangers to ourselves and others,” she said. “It is imperative for the health of our community that students and employees adhere to physical distancing guidelines, no matter where they are. Consistent with North Carolina’s phased reopening plan, social gatherings with more than 10 people indoors and 25 people outdoors are not allowed, and we are working with local property managers to enforce this standard at off-campus residences.”
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Charlotte 49ers announce fans not allowed at home-opener
The Charlotte 49ers athletics department announced Saturday that fans will not be allowed at the home-opener against Georgia State on Sept. 26.
The decision comes after UNCC made the decision to start the fall semester with virtual learning until Oct. 1.
The athletic department also said that season ticket packages for the 2020 season are no longer viable.
After some teams already canceled their fall sports seasons, the Charlotte 49ers said they have just three other home games besides Georgia State in 2020, making season ticket packages incomplete.
“We appreciate everyone’s patience as we navigate these unprecedented and complicated circumstances,” Director of Athletics Mike Hill said. “Our staff has worked tirelessly developing multiple seating models to accommodate our amazing fans. However, we must be responsive to the condition of our community, and the reality is that until we see significant improvement, we cannot host fans. We remain hopeful that we will be able to offer single-game tickets for games later this season should the situation allow.”
Here are the options that Charlotte 49ers season ticket holders will have:
- Complete refund of 2020 football season ticket purchase
- Consider a tax-deductible donation of all or part of purchases to support Charlotte 49er student-athletes
- Rollover of funds to apply to 2021 football ticket purchase
“We are very grateful for the support from our season ticket holders and fans, and will be reaching out beginning this week,” Hill said. “We’re going to continue to monitor this from a public health standpoint and do everything in our power to provide a safe, healthy environment for student-athletes, staff and fans.”