NIU To Go Remote At 8 Percent COVID-19 Positivity Rate

Chicago IL

17 August, 2021

6:39 PM

Description

DEKALB, IL — Students at Northern Illinois University could see remote instruction if COVID-19 case rates go above 8 percent when school returns, union officials at NIU told faculty and staff Tuesday. NIU staff and administration came to the agreement after a rally last week where employees demanded more comprehensive plans on how to protect themselves and students from COVID-19. The agreement will also allow faculty members a remote option if they or a family member are immunocompromised, according to a statement from the Illinois Federation of Teachers. Once students return to campus in late August, all students and faculty will be required to wear a mask when inside university buildings such as the library, classes and dining halls. According to NIU's website, students are required to be vaccinated unless they can provide a religious, medical or personal exemption. Personal exemptions are no longer valid once any COVID-19 vaccine becomes FDA approved. The university also offers all students who submit proof of their vaccination a $100 reward that can be applied to their student account for meals or bookstore items. Officials from NIU were not immediately available to comment on the agreement, and did not announce how long the university would undergo remote instruction if the case rate spikes. According to the DeKalb County Health Department, the COVID-19 positivity rate is 5.2 percent.