Tulane University in New Orleans is constructing 13 temporary buildings that will facilitate in-person teaching and on-campus dining while observing physical distancing to prevent the spread of Covid-19.
The university says it began building the structures in anticipation of the campus reopening and classes starting next month.
Each classroom will accommodate 50 to 80 students at a time in a fully socially distanced manner.
According to Patrick J. Norton, senior vice president and chief operating officer, the temporary buildings feature soundproof walls and solid flooring and are climate-controlled and ADA accessible. They will be equipped with new furnishings, and all interior and exterior surfaces are easily sanitized.
The temporary buildings that are dedicated classroom space will also be outfitted with state-of-the-art technology that enhances the in-person experience and enables remote learning. They will be equipped with projectors and screens, high-definition cameras, wireless microphones and speakers, and touch monitors. The university also built five additional teaching facilities for non-traditional classroom uses.
“We are committed to offering a rewarding education with significant face-to-face engagement,” says Robin Forman, senior vice president for academic affairs and provost. “But we did not have the existing classroom capacity to allow our students to attend their classes and follow appropriate social distancing norms.
"With these temporary classrooms, about half of our courses have now been scheduled into classrooms in which all enrolled students can safely attend at the same time. In other courses we will use technology to reduce the number of students in attendance to safe limits.”
