In Georgia, A Strange Return To College For Some Students

A graduate assistant sits in an empty auditorium during an online lecture on the first day of classes Monday at Georgia Tech in Atlanta. More of Georgia’s public universities are opening for the fall term, trying to balance concern about COVID-19 infections against a mandate for on-campus classes citing financial needs and student desires.

Jeff Amy / Associated Press

It was 11 a.m. on Monday, time to begin the first day of Organic Chemistry II. Georgia Tech Professor Stefan France looked out over a 1,200-seat performing arts theater and saw two teaching assistants.

Welcome back to campus.

France’s students were absent by design. He was testing his ability to teach class remotely in a room Georgia Tech has marked off to host fewer than 150 people in an attempt to prevent the spread of COVID-19. As he struggled through the early bumps of teaching online, France told students half of the class, about 80 people, would eventually be welcome to attend once a week.