THE LATEST: Covid-19 Responses, Vax Requirements & January Plans At The Top 25 MBA Programs

Duke Fuqua School of Business: All undergraduate and graduate/professional classes will be held remotely until January 18. In a December 31 message, university Provost Sally Kornbluth and other officials wrote: “Duke’s infectious disease and public health experts have advised us to anticipate that a large number of students will test positive during campus entry testing next week, requiring them to isolate in accordance with the new CDC guidelines. We also anticipate that positive test results, isolation periods and caregiving responsibilities affecting our faculty and staff will have an impact on campus operations and services as the semester begins.”

Michigan Ross School of Business: The majority of undergraduate and graduate classes will be fully in-person, according to a December 21 announcement. Co-curricular experiences will be a mix of remote, hybrid, and in-person formats depending on the situation.

Boosters are required for all by February 4 and as soon as eligible thereafter.

NYU Stern School of Business: Stern has moved courses to a remote format until Friday, January 21. All community members are required to have their booster by January 18 or as soon as eligible.

Virginia Darden School of Business: Virginia Provost Liz Magill wrote on December 6 that “Classes will be fully in-person” in January. Booster vaccinations are required for staff, students, and employees no later that February 1 or within 30 days of eligibility.

Cornell Johnson Graduate School of Management: The semester will be on January 24 as planned, but the first two weeks will be virtual (through February 4.) Boosters are required by January 31 or within 30 days of eligibility.

Provost Mike Kotlikoff wrote on December 21, “Scenario planning is evolving quickly due to the Omicron variant, and we are focused on how we can protect our community, and the greater Ithaca community, from serious illness related to the virus.” See Poets&Quants‘ recent story on Cornell’s recent campus closure here.

Carnegie Mellon Tepper School of Business: CMU has adjusted its academic calendar to begin classes on January 18, a later start than previous years. Most courses will be virtual the first two weeks of the semester, thought the school expects to return to in-person learning by January 31.

Boosters are required, and proof must be uploaded for eligible people by February 16 or within 60 days of eligibility.

UCLA Anderson School of Management: Classes will be held remotely for the first two weeks of the winter quarter (some exceptions may apply for clinical courses), according to a December 21 message. The school plans to return to in-person instruction on January 18. Boosters are also required; students have until January 18 while employees have until January 31.

USC Marshall School of Business: Classes will begin as scheduled on January 10, according to a Christmas Eve announcement, but the first week will be online. Booster shots are now required for all students and staff.

UNC Kenan-Flagler Business School: UNC Chancellor Kevin M. Guskiewicz writes December 22 that amid heightened testing, classes will go ahead as scheduled in January.

Texas-Austin McCombs School of Business: In-person classes still planned.

Washington Foster School of Business: Most classes will meet online the first week of winter quarter January 3-9, with in-person classes beginning January 10.

Indiana Kelley School of Business: Classes will be held in person, and the university will continue with mostly normal operations, according to a December 13 message from the university.

Georgetown McDonough School of Business: Classes will be virtual through January 30; Georgetown President John DeGioia wrote on December 29: “In recent weeks, we have seen the emergence and rapid spread of the Omicron variant of Covid-19 in the Washington, D.C., region, across the country, and globally. Given that the surge in cases associated with the Omicron variant in the United States is projected to coincide with our return for the spring semester, we are adjusting our approach for the first few weeks of the semester.”

Effective January 21, boosters will be required upon eligibility.

Rice Jones Graduate School of Business: Instruction online for first two weeks of semester beginning January 10. In a December 26 message, Rice President David Leebron and Provost Reggie DesRoches write that “With the rapidly spreading omicron variant, the shift to a more endemic posture requires time for the remainder of our community to get their booster shots, without which we would be less able to assure the health of people on campus.”

Vanderbilt Owen Graduate School of Management: Most graduate and professional programs will delay their start until January 17.

Emory Goizueta: Announced January 4 that all BBA, MBA (full-time, evening, and executive), MSBA, and Ph.D. courses will start the spring semester in a fully remote format. Classes will begin as scheduled but will meet synchronously via Zoom (or, in some cases, using the Global Classrooms). Classes will transition back to fully in-person learning on January 31, as health conditions permit. In a letter to the university, President Gregory Fences wrote:
“With all that we have faced since March 2020, we know that we can effectively teach and learn remotely at Emory. We also know how special the on-campus experience is. That is why we are making this decision now — so that we can carry out the rest of the spring semester on our wonderful campuses in Atlanta and Oxford.”

Boosters now required by January 19 or within two weeks of eligibility.

DON’T MISS KELLOGG, COLUMBIA AMONG ELITE B-SCHOOLS MOVING TO REMOTE CLASSES IN JANUARY and SURGING COVID CASES CLOSE CORNELL’S ITHACA CAMPUS