UNC System campuses have shifted to online learning due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but interim president Bill Roper believes students will be able to return for the fall semester.

“Recent data in North Carolina are showing positive trends that suggest our collective efforts to minimize the spread of COVID-19 are paying off,” said Roper in a statement.

“Our institutions have done a remarkable job serving their students during this time of crisis. Our speedy adaptation to remote teaching and learning was a necessary and invaluable step to preserve the continuity of our students’ academic pursuits while protecting health and safety.”

Roper then went on to say that he expects campuses to be reopen for the fall 2020 semester.

“I expect to reopen our campuses for the Fall 2020 Semester and look forward to welcoming our faculty and students back to their classrooms and labs this fall,” he said.

UNC Chancellor Kevin Guskiewicz echoed a similar message earlier this week, saying that UNC is hoping to return in mid-August.

“As we end this semester,” Guskiewicz wrote on Twitter, “we are planning for the fall. We are hoping to return in mid-August but we are planning for many different scenarios.”

UNC System universities moved to online learning and encouraged students not to return to campus before the coronavirus pandemic hit the campuses.

As of Wednesday, 9,948 North Carolinians have tested positive for the virus and 354 have died.

Last week, Governor Roy Cooper announced a three-step plan to reopen North Carolina. However, officials said that the state is still seeing a slight increase in cases and is currently falling short of the benchmarks the state has set to signify North Carolina’s readiness to reopen.

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