US universities announcing online Fall 2020

Mostly online, anyway

A list of four-year universities in the United States who announced before August that their fall 2020 undergraduate classes will be taught all or almost all online, sorted by date of announcement.

There's variation within the plans in the list. Some are exclusively online, while others plan to have a limited number of in-person courses, e.g. science labs. Also, some universities plan to have the dorms and on-campus services open at reduced capacity, while others plan to have the campus mostly closed.


May 5 – California State University system: "our planning approach will result in CSU courses primarily being delivered virtually for the fall 2020 term, with limited exceptions".

June 11 – University of California Irvine (Irvine, CA): "Almost all undergraduate courses will be delivered in a remote format in the fall quarter. A few exceptions are being evaluated, and consist of specialized upper-division labs, specific clinical and experiential courses, and some design courses in Engineering."

June 15 – Harvard University (Cambridge, MA): "regardless of where our students are living, whether on campus or at home, learning will continue to be remote next year, with only rare exceptions" (Faculty of Arts and Sciences, which includes the undergraduate college).

June 16 – University of California Davis (Davis, CA): "When fall quarter instruction starts Sept. 30, the campus plans to offer most courses remotely, though some courses will also be available in person, depending on health guidelines and instructor preference."

June 17 – University of California Riverside (Riverside, CA): "No instructor will be required to teach in-person and no student will be required to participate in-person until the campus returns to normal operations".

June 17 – University of California Santa Cruz (Santa Cruz, CA): "UC Santa Cruz will offer most courses remotely or online and provide in-person instruction for a small number of courses that cannot be delivered remotely, as is the case for some laboratory, studio and field study courses".

June 22 – Bowdoin College (Brunswick, ME): "In order to provide the best learning experience possible, nearly all classes, including those on campus, will be taught online."

June 22 – University of Massachusetts Boston (Boston, MA): "Certain lab courses in the sciences and nursing courses that require the use of the simulation center will remain on campus. The rest of the curriculum will be delivered to you via remote instruction."

June 25 – Haskell Indian Nations University (Lawrence, KS): "Haskell President Ronald Graham told the Journal-World Thursday that all classes would be held virtually for the fall semester".

June 26 – New School (New York, NY): "All classes will be online this fall. Given what we know today, we believe that remote learning is the best option for the health and safety of the entire New School community and for preventing the spread of the virus".

June 29 – University of Massachusetts Amherst (Amherst, MA): "Only essential face-to-face labs, studios, performance, and other courses involving hands-on work will be conducted on campus and in-person. ... All other courses will be delivered remotely."

June 30 – Wilmington University (New Castle, DE): "No one knows if COVID-19 will continue to spread at its current pace. The virus is still in its first phase, and there is growing concern that numbers will increase, or possibly result in a second wave. Due to these uncertainties and the need to keep our community safe, courses will remain online for the fall 2020 semester."

June 30 – Zaytuna College (Berkeley, CA): "Zaytuna's leadership has decided that instruction for the Fall 2020 semester will be conducted online for both the undergraduate and graduate programs".

July 1 – Hampton University (Hampton, VA): "out of an abundance of caution for the health, safety and welfare of our students as well as the faculty, administrative staff, administrators, maintenance and custodial staff, and others with whom students might interact, Hampton University will provide remote instruction only for the first semester of academic year 2020-2021".

July 1 – Texas College (Tyler, TX): "Our efforts are not to compete with other entities and how they respond, but rather give consideration to the needs of our students, faculty and staff and internally assess what is needed for a safe environment pursuant to the resources we have available to us. With this as the backdrop of our planning, a decision has been made to offer online instruction only for the fall term."

July 1 – University of Southern California (Los Angeles, CA): "our undergraduate students primarily or exclusively will be taking their courses online in the fall term".

July 6 – Princeton University (Princeton, NJ): "Based on the information now available to us, we believe ... we will need to do much of our teaching online and remotely."

July 6 – Rutgers University (New Brunswick, NJ): "I am writing today to inform you that after careful consideration of all possible models for safely and effectively delivering instruction during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, Rutgers is planning for a Fall 2020 semester that will combine a majority of remotely delivered courses with a limited number of in-person classes".

July 7 – Marymount Manhattan College (New York, NY): "Given new developments in the COVID-19 global pandemic, we have adopted a Virtual Classes/Open Campus model in which all classes will be offered in an online format".

July 8 – Pomona College (Claremont, CA): "As the public health situation deteriorated over the last two weeks, we had to look at the facts and make a responsible decision: In this unfolding emergency, we will not be able to bring students back to campus in the fall."

July 8 – Scripps College (Claremont, CA): "The Administration and Board of Trustees of the College have determined that our community can best achieve its mission and maintain safety by offering Scripps classes online during the fall 2020 semester".

July 10 – Jarvis Christian College (Hawkins, TX): "To limit exposure to the virus, we will continue our online classes for fall 2020".

July 10 – Savannah College of Art and Design (Savannah/Atlanta, GA): "Following careful deliberation of all reasonable options, the university is announcing that, as of right now, Fall 2020 on-ground courses will be delivered primarily virtually for SCAD Atlanta and SCAD Savannah students — with some exceptions to address the needs of certain programs and students".

July 10 – West Chester University (Chester County, PA): "My leadership team and I have made the decision to continue remote learning through the fall 2020 semester, with a few courses delivered in a hybrid format, meaning both in-person and remote, in order to assist those students with clinical placements, student teaching, performance obligations, internship sites, and similar academic responsibilities."

July 13 – Loyola University Chicago (Chicago, IL): "we have decided that the best plan for the upcoming fall semester is to shift most of our class offerings online".

July 14 – Bennett College (Greensboro, NC): "After careful research, analysis and consideration, we have made a decision to operate remotely for the Fall semester."

July 14 – Gallaudet University (Washington, DC): "We are still in the first phase of a three-phase model. Phase 1 requires primarily remote working, teaching, and learning operations. Therefore, all classroom instruction will be delivered remotely this fall."

July 14 – Loyola Marymount University (Los Angeles, CA): "This fall will be unlike any other semester: Our undergraduate courses will be principally and primarily conducted remotely".

July 14 – Simmons University (Boston, MA): "Our thoughtful process has led us to decide that all of our teaching and activities will be online for the Fall 2020 semester, with very few exceptions".

July 14 – University of San Francisco (San Francisco, CA): "Based on the surge of COVID-19 cases in San Francisco and California, Gov. Newsom’s announcements yesterday about rolling back the state’s reopening plans, and specific instructions issued to higher education institutions today by the San Francisco Department of Public Health (SFDPH), it is clear that we need to pivot to USF’s operations being primarily remote for the fall 2020 semester. This means nearly all academic courses will be online — save for certain exceptions such as those in clinical nursing programs."

July 15 – Dickinson College (Carlisle, PA): "we have come to the very difficult decision that the fall 2020 semester will be remote".

July 15 – Lesley University (Cambridge, MA): "We do not want to repeat the disruptive experience of last spring where we had to shut down our campus on short notice, so most campus facilities will remain closed at least through the end of 2020".

July 15 – Occidental College (Los Angeles, CA): "Today we are announcing that for the Fall 2020 semester all instruction will be remote".

July 15 – Rhodes College (Memphis, TN): "I write with a heavy heart to let you know that despite our hopes and plans, the external health conditions in Memphis do not support an on-campus fall semester".

July 17 – University of the Pacific (Stockton, CA): "Unfortunately, our regions’ flat and comparatively low rates of COVID-19 cases experienced through the spring have rapidly accelerated over the past month. Therefore, we have determined that it would be unwise to reopen our campuses as we had hoped and planned."

July 20 – California College of the Arts (San Francisco/Oakland, CA): "We write today with the unfortunate news that our fall semester courses will be conducted entirely remotely (online)."

July 20 – Clark Atlanta University (Atlanta, GA): "Today, Clark Atlanta University (CAU) announced the move to remote learning for all students during the Fall 2020 semester, taking the necessary precautions to ensure the safety of its students and entire CAU community."

July 20 – Grinnell College (Grinnell, IA): "It is thus with a heavy heart that, after consulting with campus leaders and the Board of Trustees Executive Committee, and discussing a multitude of options, we have determined that Fall Term 1 classes will be offered remotely".

July 20 – Morehouse College (Atlanta, GA): "I am writing to inform you of the difficult decision I have made to remain virtual for the Fall 2020 semester".

July 20 – Spelman College (Atlanta, GA): "Because of the worsening health crisis, we have reluctantly come to the realization that we can no longer safely sustain a residential campus and in-person instruction. With a sense of great disappointment, I now share with you our decision that all instruction for the fall of 2020 at Spelman will be virtual."

July 21 – University of California Berkeley (Berkeley, CA): "The increase in cases in the local community is of particular concern. Given this development, as well as it being unlikely that there will be a dramatic reversal in the public health situation before the fall semester instruction begins on Aug. 26, we have made the difficult decision to begin the fall semester with fully remote instruction."

July 22 – Azusa Pacific University (Azusa, CA): "we will now pivot to remote learning in an online modality this fall".

July 22 – Clemson University (Clemson, SC): "Clemson University will begin the Fall semester online and will delay in-person instruction until Sept. 21".

July 22 – Edinboro University (Edinboro, PA): "after careful consideration, we have decided to move most of our courses online for the fall semester".

July 22 – Lafayette College (Easton, PA): "I am sorry to say that we will not be reconvening as a community on Aug. 17. Instead, all fall semester courses at Lafayette will be offered online".

July 22 – Pepperdine University (Malibu, CA): "we have decided we can best protect the health and well-being of our students, faculty, and staff by conducting our fall semester online".

July 22 – University of Delaware (Newark, DE): "we feel it is necessary to shift our plan until conditions improve. The majority of our academic courses in the fall 2020 semester will be delivered online".

July 23 – Randolph College (Lynchburg, VA): "The simple truth is that we do not see the situation in our country improving before our campus opens to our full student body in a month's time. Because of this, we are not confident the College would be able to remain in-person the entire semester without serious COVID-19-caused disruptions. ... the College has decided to move its instruction online for the fall semester."

July 23 – South Carolina State University (Orangeburg, SC): "The recent significant escalation in infections in South Carolina and the Orangeburg community has caused us to revisit all of our plans to date for this coming fall semester. As a result, we will start the Fall Semester 2020 with all classes being delivered remotely".

July 23 – Washington State University system: "For the Fall 2020 semester, all undergraduate courses at WSU, with very few exceptions, will be delivered at a distance and will be completed remotely, with extremely limited exceptions for in-person instruction."

July 24 – Claremont McKenna College (Claremont, CA): "Given the recent, substantial increases in COVID-19 infection, hospitalization, and death rates in California and Los Angeles County and, even more decisively, the absence of necessary state and county authorization for residential, in-person higher education programs to reopen, we will not be allowed to resume on-campus learning in the fall."

July 24 – Lyon College (Batesville, AR): "With a heavy heart, I am reaching out to inform you that on Thursday, the Board of Trustees determined remote instruction for the fall would be in the best interest of the College".

July 24 – Pitzer College (Claremont, CA): "Recently ... it became abundantly clear that in spite of the challenges and financial pain, the wisest and most responsible action was to shift our focus and devote all of our energy into creating the most robust and engaging on-line learning communities possible".

July 24 – Whitman College (Walla Walla, WA): "we have made the extremely difficult decision that the fall 2020 semester will primarily be via remote learning".

July 27 – Agnes Scott College (Decatur, GA): "It is with a profound sense of sadness and disappointment that I write to inform you that we have made the painful decision to move to fully online courses for the fall semester.".

July 27 – George Washington University (Washington, DC): "we have made the difficult decision to hold all undergraduate courses online for the fall semester, with limited exceptions".

July 29 – Georgetown University (Washington, DC): "Courses for all undergraduate and graduate students will begin in virtual mode. Due to the acceleration of the spread of the virus and increasing restrictions on interstate travel we cannot proceed with our original plans for returning to campus this fall."

July 30 – American University (Washington, DC): "These evolving health conditions and government requirements now compel us to adjust our plan and offer fall semester undergraduate and graduate courses online with no residential experience."

July 30 – California Baptist University (Riverside, CA): "Today I am announcing that courses will be delivered primarily through live/synchronous remote instruction when CBU's fall semester begins".

July 30 – Johnson C. Smith University (Charlotte, NC): "Because the rate of transmission of the coronavirus shows no sign of slowing down and in the interest of the health and safety of everyone in the JCSU family and our community, the Board of Trustees, the Administration and I have made the difficult decision to deliver instruction solely online for the fall 2020 semester."

July 31 – Goucher College (Towson, MD): "It is with a great deal of disappointment that I write to inform you that, in consultation with the Fall Reopening Task Force and the Board of Trustees, I have made the difficult decision that our undergraduate students should not return back to campus this fall, and instead we should prepare to deliver this semester’s courses entirely online with the majority of our students studying from home."

July 31 – Queens University of Charlotte (Charlotte, NC): "It is with profound sadness and disappointment that I let you know we have made the decision to move to 100% virtual instruction for the fall semester, with no residential experience."

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I collected the dates above either from dated announcements on the university's website, or in cases where announcements were undated (surprisingly common), from the date they were posted on the university's Twitter feed, mentioned in news articles, etc.

There's a bit of a judgment call in what I've counted as an announcement of being "almost" entirely online. I've included universities that say there are "limited exceptions" or similar, but not those that aim for a significant percentage of classes to be in-person. For example, I didn't include UCLA's June 15 announcement, which some news stories reported as "mostly online", because their stated 15-20% of classes in-person or hybrid seems to me to be too high to count as almost-all online.

See also: Here’s a List of Colleges’ Plans for Reopening in the Fall from the Chronicle of Higher Education.