The spring semester will begin with  a two-week moratorium on in-person activities in an effort to curb the spread of COVID-19.  

Pope confirmed that restrictions will be similar to last semester’s moratorium. 

The University imposed its first moratorium of the fall semester two days after classes began. Instead of ending on Sept. 4 as planned, Pope announced an extension through Sept. 13 after cases peaked. More than 2,000 students, faculty and staff tested positive during that period. 

“[The moratorium is] an opportunity for us to get everyone back in, get settled and make sure that we get everyone tested,” Pope said. 

Entry testing will be mandatory for students living on campus, including housing and residential communities or Greek housing, and employees. On-campus students must be tested within seven days of returning to campus. This differs from the fall semester when all students, faculty and staff were required to submit a test result within two weeks of returning to campus. 

Pope said the moratorium does not require students to “lock themselves in their rooms,” as long as they follow social distancing and mask guidelines. 

When the moratorium ends, in-person gatherings must follow attendance and registration guidelines established by the UA System’s Health and Safety Plan.