Fall 2021 Semester Reopening Letter From President French

03/30/2021

Dear CAU Community, 

March 23rd of last week marked the one-year anniversary that we closed the campus and began the odyssey of managing an unprecedented global pandemic. Throughout the past year, the CAU Community joined together in a collective act of complex problem-solving and resilience. Words cannot adequately describe what we have accomplished together, and my gratitude and appreciation for the support received from our students and their families, faculty, staff, alumni, and members of the Board of Trustees. 

With much pleasure and excitement, I am happy to announce plans for a full return to campus of all students, faculty, and staff for the fall 2021 semester. We reached this decision based on the availability of vaccines, current projections by public health officials, and the successes we have experienced during the spring semester with a small pilot group of students, faculty, and staff on campus. We are confident that normal campus operations for everyone can resume in the fall. Additional information regarding registration for the fall 2021 semester, the opening of the residence halls, and the start of in-person classes will be sent in the coming weeks. 

The health and safety of our community will continue to be our number one priority. The University will continue to offer vaccinations to the CAU Community for the remainder of the spring semester, during the summer term, and during the fall 2021 semester (if necessary). Our policies and protocols for wearing masks, physically distancing, testing, and washing hands will continue as long as needed. 

The University’s Crisis Management Executive Steering Committee will continue to monitor the guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and other federal and state public health organizations. Adjustments will be made to our COVID-19 policies and protocols as necessary. 

Thank you all for your tireless efforts to make this extraordinary time a period of continued success here at Clark Atlanta University. The University’s leadership is well aware of how difficult this past year has been for students and their families, faculty, and staff. As we continue to move CAU forward together, we hope that a full reopening of our campus in the fall will enhance the University’s ability to achieve our mission and serve as a beacon of hope that a brighter future is within our grasp. 

Yours in Service,