With graphs: Tracking Coronavirus Cases at U.S. Colleges and Universities

Tracking Coronavirus Cases at U.S. Colleges and Universities Coronavirus cases continue to climb steadily at colleges, a New York Times survey has found. Some schools have announced vaccine requirements for students returning in the fall. The New York Times

Tens of thousands of coronavirus cases have been reported at American colleges in recent weeks, and infections have steadily continued to increase, even as vaccine eligibility has expanded and as some universities have announced plans to require shots.

More than 240,000 cases have been linked to American colleges and universities since Jan. 1, and more than 660,000 cases have been reported since the beginning of the pandemic, according to a New York Times database of cases on campus. The Times has also identified more than 100 virus-related deaths involving college students and employees. The vast majority occurred in 2020 and involved employees.

More than a year after most universities abruptly shifted classes online and sent students home, the virus continues to upend American higher education.

When many campuses reopened in the fall, outbreaks raced through dorms and infected thousands of students and employees. Since students returned for the spring term, increased testing, social distancing rules and an improving national outlook have helped curb the spread on some campuses.

Still, outbreaks have continued. The Times surveyed more than 1,900 colleges and universities for coronavirus information and found at least 50 colleges had already reported more than 1,000 cases in 2021.

At Salve Regina University in Rhode Island, an outbreak of more than 30 cases among undergraduates spurred the college to temporarily cancel all in-person events and athletic activities. At the University of Massachusetts Amherst, where more cases have been identified in 2021 than during the fall term, in-person classes resumed and some restrictions were lifted after a difficult start to the year.

When students returned to campus last fall, outbreaks in college towns far outpaced the national average. Though campus outbreaks have persisted in the spring, counties with large populations of college students have seen total case numbers drop, mirroring the national trend....

With people 16 and older now eligible for the coronavirus vaccine in every state, many colleges have hosted vaccine clinics and pushed students and employees to get their shots. The Times has identified more than 100 colleges — including the University of Pennsylvania, the University of San Diego and the University of Maryland — that have said they will require students to be vaccinated in order to attend in-person classes in the fall. Most of those schools were small and private. ...

In the meantime, some groups are challenging the mandates. At Stanford University in California, which plans to require vaccinations for the fall, the College Republicans condemned the decision. At Manhattanville College in New York, where students will need to provide proof of their shots before returning to campus, one student started a petition to reverse the policy. ...