The University of New Mexico today released plans for its return to main campus this summer. UNM is tentatively targeting Monday, Aug. 2 as its return for mostly in-person operations. UNM began remote work operations due to the COVID-19 pandemic on March 17, 2020.

UNM Health Sciences Center has largely returned to full operations already and will continue to follow UNM HSC guidance.

“Our plans are based on the assumption that public health conditions will continue to improve and that a significant proportion of our students, faculty and staff will be vaccinated by the beginning of the Fall 2021 semester,” said UNM President Garnett S. Stokes in a campus-wide email.

Current main campus plan details are outlined below and will continue to be updated on the refreshed Bringing Back the Pack website, under The Pack is Back: A Safe Return to Campus.

Spring/Summer 2021

  • Food restrictions will be lifted for main and branch campuses effective today, May 3. Catering by UNM Food is currently available to safely cater your events following all NM DOH COVID-Safe practices, offering a wide variety of individually packaged meals, snacks, and beverages for no-contact delivery or grab and go.
  • UNM’s Spring 2021 Commencement will be held in-person at University Stadium on Saturday, May 15 for graduates only, and will be celebrated via gradstream for family and friends. For more information, visit LoboGrad.
  • Travel restriction will be lifted after May 15
  • Updated research guidelines will be effective May 16
  • University Operations will remain “as-is” and follow existing processes through June 30
  • Current hiring and personnel actions in place will be lifted effective July 1
  • July will be a planning month. Staff, who have been sustaining university operations remotely, will begin having conversations with supervisors about phasing back into on-campus work or discussing on-going remote work arrangements.
  • Full return to campus by Aug. 2

Fall 2021 - The Pack is Back
UNM is planning on mostly in-person operations and student residency for the 2021-2022 fall academic year, which begins Aug. 23. The University began registration for classes last month for both Summer and Fall 2021 and registration is ongoing.

UNM also anticipates a return to the traditional student activities as well as athletic events, which will adhere to NCAA and Mountain West Conference guidelines. Specific guidelines will be outlined on the Bringing Back the Pack website.

“As always, our planning and decisions will continue to be informed by public health orders, the most current guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the New Mexico Department of Health (NMDOH), and the expertise of our own health and medical professionals,” said Stokes. “UNM Human Resources will continue to provide the latest guidance on expectations and protocols for maintaining a COVID-19 safe environment.”

For more information, visit The Pack is Back: A Safe Return to Campus.