Marymount California University to welcome students back in-person this fall

PALOS VERDES, Calif. - It’s a small but mighty university in Palos Verdes. Mighty in the way they’re approaching students and teachers coming back to school this fall.

At Marymount California University, the 600 enrolled students will have options in the way they learn when the school year starts August 24. From a hybrid schedule to online learning, safety measures are being put in place to keep them safe.

Brian Marcotte MCU president sot:

"We want our students to not only get a quality education but we want them to have a college experience as well," said MCU President Brian Marcotte.

"We’ve got social distancing built into the classroom right now we took out a lot of furniture and put it in storage so there’s no option for too many students to get into the room," said Marcotte.

From limited capacity classrooms to Plexiglass barriers, the university is taking all health and safety precautions to make students and staff feel safe amid the coronavirus pandemic. Sanitation teams will also disinfect each classroom between sessions.

Administrators said their enrollment size and pre-planning is helping them pivot during this pandemic.

"One of the things that’s really unique about Marymount is our size," said Ryan Alcantara, Dean of Students. "We don’t have large research facilities here and with that approach, we can really focus in on our students."

Face masks will be required for teachers and students and they’ll be encouraged to study and socialize outside if possible.