(Camden, NJ) – Governor Phil Murphy today signed Executive Order No. 155, which will allow in-person clinical, lab, and hands-on programming at institutions of higher education as of July 1, with enhanced health and safety protocols. Executive Order No. 155 will also allow trade and training schools to reopen on July 1 provided specific health and safety polices are in place.
“This is an excellent step towards ensuring that our students will not face major interruptions to their education, continuing to learn and preparing to join the workforce when their training is complete,” said Freeholder Deputy Director Ed McDonnell, liaison to Camden County College. “While we must carefully consider each additional phase of reopening to protect the safety and security of our students and staff, we are glad that some instruction which is difficult to transition to virtual and online formats will be able to resume in-person in the coming weeks.”
As part of this process, the Office of the Secretary of Higher Education has issued Restart Standards for all New Jersey Institutions of Higher Education that can guide the reopening and assist institutions as they prepare for next steps.
In order to open, institutions under the purview of the Office of the Secretary of Higher Education (OSHE) must submit plans that demonstrate how they will follow criteria delineated in guidelines to be released by OSHE today. Those plans are due to OSHE 14 days before the institution intends to implement the plan by bringing students and staff back to campus. Trade and training schools, which are outside of OSHE’s purview, are subject to a similar set of health and safety protocols.
To read Executive Order No. 155, click here.