MILWAUKEE (SPECTRUM NEWS) -- Students will return to campus this fall at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, but many classes will be held online as the coronavirus pandemic is expected to continue into the fall semester.

Administrators announced their reopening plan on Wednesday; that plan includes face masks requirements on campus. All faculty and staff must wear a masks or face covering while inside classrooms and university buildings, unless they are in a private office or their own dorm room. Additionally, masks must be worn outside when six feet of distance can’t be maintained.  

UWM will follow its original academic calendar, with classes starting on September 2.Many classes will involve a mix of face-to-face and online instruction. In person classes will be limited to 50 students or fewer and all classes with more than 100 students will be taught entirely online. Classrooms will be professionally cleaned once a day and stocked with hand sanitizer and disinfectants.

“We have given very careful consideration to what is best for our students educationally and to address the health needs of our students, faculty and staff, and our community,” Chancellor Mark Mone said. “We know students and families have been waiting for this announcement, but it was important for us to take the time to get it right. We knew from surveys that our students wanted to be back on campus, but we needed to make sure that we could bring them back in as safe a manner as possible.”

Over the coming weeks, buildings will be modified to encourage social distancing and plexiglass barriers will be installed in high-traffic areas. Residence halls will be open and student services and activities will be held online as well as in person. Dining services in the residence halls and inside the UWM Student Union are being altered to allow students to order meals from a cellphone or other mobile device. 

The university stresses, all plans are subject to change if there is a spike in cases. Testing will be available for students with symptoms at UWM’s Norris Health Center, but testing for people without symptoms is not planned at this time. Students with health concerns are able to request accommodations to complete their coursework online. To read the university's full plan, click here.