Duke suspends Summer 2021 undergraduate travel, plans to offer in-person courses on campus

Duke has suspended global and domestic undergraduate travel for Summer 2021 but will have a mix of in-person and remote classes for Summer Sessions I and II, administrators wrote in a Thursday email to undergraduates.

“Duke will offer expanded in-person and remote co-curricular programming, through existing and new programs currently in development,” wrote Provost Sally Kornbluth; Executive Vice Provost Jennifer Francis; Gary Bennett, vice provost of undergraduate education; and Mary Pat McMahon, vice president and vice provost of student affairs. 

Travel was canceled because of “the extent of global travel restrictions and the uncertainties around vaccinations,” administrators wrote. 

This means students will not travel as part of programs like study abroad and DukeEngage, the second summer that such programs have been canceled or moved online due to COVID-19. 

“We plan to restart global travel activities as soon as it is safe and feasible to do so, given local and international travel restrictions,” the email reads. In the meantime, Duke is developing alternatives like research programs and virtual internships.

Undergraduates taking summer courses can live in campus housing, and many Duke co-curricular programs like internships and research will offer their students campus housing for the first time.

Registration for Summer Session I and II will begin March 1, administrators wrote.

This is a developing story and will be updated if new information becomes available. 


Matthew Griffin

Matthew Griffin was editor-in-chief of The Chronicle's 116th volume.

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