On the first day of classes, N.C. A&T's chancellor talks about COVID-19, student gatherings and record enrollment

GREENSBORO — N.C. A&T started fall semester classes Wednesday, and Chancellor Harold Martin Sr. held his now-traditional briefing for local reporters.

Martin — A&T's leader since 2009 and the longest-serving chancellor in the UNC System — covered a lot of ground in an hour. Topics included COVID-19, the possibility of refunds, A&T's attempts to rein in large student gatherings and the prospects for yet another year of enrollment growth.

Here are some highlights:

COVID-19: A&T will keep a close eye on a number of pandemic-related metrics, including the number of positive COVID-19 cases connected to campus. Martin said 34 students and employees have contracted the virus since this summer — 13 of those positive tests have been reported in the past two weeks.

For now, Martin said, A&T has an ample supply of masks, cleaning supplies and beds for on-campus students who need to be quarantined or isolated. A&T hasn't yet seen any clusters of cases that led to UNC-Chapel Hill's decision this week to move classes online.

"We're pleased with where we are," Martin said. "We'll continue to test (and) monitor our employees ... and students and ensure that we continue to maintain a healthy and safe environment."

If those trends change — cases increase sharply, clusters of the virus pop up or the university runs out of space to house sick students — Martin said A&T could move all instruction online.

To make that decision, Martin said he'll consult with A&T trustees and the UNC System president.

Student gatherings: Martin said A&T police had to break up two big gatherings of "overzealous" students in recent days — one near the university's clock tower, and another at Holland Bowl next to the cafeteria. A&T has limited on-campus meetings and get-togethers at 10 people inside and 25 people outside to comply with state law. (Classrooms and dining halls are exempted.)

In both instances, Martin said university police got students to disperse.

The chancellor said students who violate campus health and safety rules by not wearing masks or getting together in large groups will be warned initially. Repeat offenders could face disciplinary action that could have them evicted from university housing and barred from campus.

Generally, though, students are behaving well and following a long list of new campus rules.

"Our students are responding to those nudges of reminders," Martin said.

Off campus: Martin said A&T is working with Greensboro and Guilford County law enforcement, UNCG police and owners of private apartment complexes to "take tougher steps to suppress social gatherings."

He has a reason to be worried: An off-campus party is responsible for the first COVID-19 cluster reported Tuesday at N.C. State University.

Refunds: The UNC System has said that the state's public universities won't refund tuition and fees if universities move all classes online in the fall semester.

But if A&T pivots to online-only instruction before Sept. 1, Martin said students who then withdraw from the university would be eligible for refunds. On-campus students who move home but continue with online classes should get a housing and dining refund.

Sept. 1 is A&T's census date, which is when a student's enrollment is locked in for financial aid purposes.

Enrollment: A&T expects flat or modest enrollment growth of between half a percent and 1.5%. If the student count increases from last year's record of 12,556, A&T will have seen a seventh straight year of enrollment increases and will remain the largest four-year historically black college and university in the nation.