North Iowa Area Community College (NIACC) is planning for the summer and fall 2021 semesters to resemble pre-COVID days with more in-person experiences and fewer restrictions related to COVID-19.

“We’re excited about the prospect of this summer and next fall more closely resembling a typical academic year,” said Steve Schulz, NIACC President. “Due to the vigilance of our students, faculty, and staff, our COVID-19 infection rate on campus has remained very low throughout the past year. Now, with the availability of the vaccine open to everyone, we feel even more confident in our decision to return to the type of collegiate experience that students deserve.”

Administrators say student safety remains the top focus. The current plan is for classes to return to an on-campus, in-person format, which is what students are asking for. At the same time many safety procedures at the College will stay in place based on guidance from federal, state and local health departments. Things like masking and modified social distancing on campus will continue until Public Health indicates that it is no longer necessary, but as the number of people receiving the vaccine continues to grow, so too does the prospect of a return to normal for the College.

“Currently, many of our summer and fall sessions are scheduled as in-person sessions,” said Charlene Widener, NIACC Vice President of Academic Affairs & Student Learning. “We will, of course, continue to follow the advice of the CDC and our local Public Health department and do what we need to do to keep the campus community safe, but we’re all really looking forward to a return to a more conventional campus experience for students and faculty alike.”

More information about NIACC’s ongoing COVID-19 response can be found at https://www.niacc.edu/about/coronavirus-information/, which is being updated as information becomes available.