LeMoyne-Owen College and Christian Brothers University will join Rhodes College in delaying spring semester in-person classes amid a spike in COVID-19 cases.

At LeMoyne-Owen, classes will begin on their original start date, Jan. 10, but will take place remotely until Jan. 24. Residential students will be allowed to move into their dorms Jan. 5.

Rhodes College to start classes remotely

Classes at CBU will begin Jan. 15, a week later than originally scheduled, and will continue remotely through Jan. 31. The delay applies to the entire student body, with the exception of those in the physician assistant and nursing programs. A limited number of students, including international students, will be allowed to occupy the dorms during the remote period. 

“We’re all in this together, and we all understand that the COVID-19 pandemic requires us to continuously modify our plans in order to safeguard the health of our employees and students,” interim President David Archer said in the announcement. 

The decisions follow a record-breaking stint in the pandemic, with daily case counts in Shelby County repeatedly surpassing previous counts. Since the pandemic’s start, the area’s highest recorded case count was 3,394 on Jan. 2, 2022. 

CBU cites a dramatic spike in COVID-19 cases and consultation with medical experts as factors in the decision. LeMoyne-Owen College’s announcement states the decision was made “to ensure the safety of students.”

Both institutions have implemented mask requirements and social distancing. LeMoyne-Owen previously required vaccinations to participate in on-campus events and attend in-person classes but has since reversed that decision. 

The three private institutions join other institutions in the state in altering their spring semesters due to COVID-19. In Nashville, Vanderbilt University and Tennessee State University have delayed their returns to in-person classes. 

The University of Memphis has not announced any changes to its plans.