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This fall semester at Rutgers will look a little different than previous years.

The university will combine mostly remote courses with a limited number of in-person classes, President Jonathan Holloway said Monday.

The decision was made due to the uncertainty regarding the course of the COVID-19 pandemic, an uptick in cases across the country, and in consultation with public health experts and university leaders.

“We have wanted very fervently to be able to resume some version of a normal semester,” Holloway said in a message to the Rutgers community. However, “because of the ongoing requirements for social distancing and guided by our paramount priority of safeguarding the people of our university community, we determined that most courses this fall will have to rely on remote methods of instruction – delivered both in real time and asynchronously.”

Chancellors at Rutgers-Camden, Rutgers-Newark, Rutgers-New Brunswick and Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences will provide details about how the decision will affect students on their respective campuses.

“I want our students to know that Rutgers faculty are busy preparing for remote undergraduate instruction and building on lessons learned from the spring semester,” Holloway said, noting the university will continue to make investments in instructional technology and training. “All classes that are taught remotely will meet the standards and expectations of the world-class institution that Rutgers is.”

Some courses in disciplines that benefit greatly from access to campus facilities, such as select courses in the arts, laboratory or field work, and clinical instruction, will happen on campus with precautions.

In regard to housing, on-campus housing across Rutgers will be extremely limited to allow for social distancing and because the majority of courses will be delivered remotely. How limited on-campus housing will be prioritized on each campus will be announced by respective chancellors.

Essential student services including academic, health and wellness counseling will be available to students remotely, complemented by in-person interactions as public health guidelines permit. Information technology infrastructure, libraries and other vital resources for students will be available as well.

The upcoming athletic season will be guided by state requirements and policies developed by the campuses’ respective athletic conferences.

Campus events will remain suspended.

Looking forward, decisions for the winter session and spring semester haven’t been made yet.

Faculty and staff should read Returning to Rutgers, a comprehensive plan released last month for safely preparing offices and workspaces for a return, Holloway said.

Rutgers officials will continue to work toward a time when normal operations across all of Rutgers are safe to resume, Holloway said.

“I can assure you that we will do all we can to move toward that goal, knowing how vital our in-person interactions are to the vibrancy of a university,” Holloway said. “And in the meantime, we will strive to ensure the highest quality academic experience for all our students, who remain at the center of our mission.”