A University of Arkansas at Little Rock spokeswoman on Tuesday afternoon stated the university will "make a decision tomorrow regarding classes for next week."
Chancellor Christina Drale in a message to campus Monday stated that plans were "to start the spring semester as scheduled."
This morning, UALR spokeswoman Angie Faller stated in an email to the Democrat-Gazette that "UA Little Rock plans to start the spring semester with in-person classes as scheduled," but Faller clarified this afternoon that a decision had yet to be made and that "it is not definite that we will be having in-person classes on Tuesday,"
Drale's email to campus stated: "UA Little Rock has had relatively few on-campus coronavirus cases and will continue to follow health guidelines to mitigate coronavirus exposure on campus. Should it become necessary, UA Little Rock has contingency plans to pivot to virtual learning for a short period of time."
The university's online covid-19 case report lists 29 active cases as of Monday, including 15 student cases and 14 employee cases.
UALR data for on-campus covid-19 testing shows that for the time period from Jan. 3-7, a total of 48 on-campus covid-19 tests have been done with 15 tests coming back positive, for a positivity rate of about 31%.
Gov. Asa Hutchinson, in describing statewide test results, today noted how the statewide positivity rate had reached 30%, based on a seven-day rolling average.
"So, it's very high in terms of positivity rate," Hutchinson said. Last week, he said the state's positivity rate of greater than 25% was a record high.
Drale, in her message, described efforts to reduce the spread of covid-19 on campus, including a requirement for face coverings in classrooms and advising spaces, as well as indoors when physical distancing cannot be assured. UALR is also continuing its practice this spring of having one resident per room in its on-campus residence halls, with dorm move-ins set to begin Sunday.
Some other universities in Central Arkansas have opted to begin their spring terms with virtual instruction, including the University of Central Arkansas and Philander Smith College.
UALR's Bowen School of Law began courses this week with virtual instruction, the university announced last week.
CORRECTION: UALR will make a decision about in-person classes for the spring semester on Wednesday. An earlier version of this story stated that the plan was already decided.