Smart expects fall semester at MSU to be "close to normal"

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. (AP) - Missouri State University President Clif Smart says he anticipates an August start to the new school year that will be as close to normal.

He says the university has learned a lot of lessons from the pandemic and created changes that will remain.

The Springfield News-Leader reports that Smart said at a Board of Governors meeting that some institutions assume they are going to still be in the middle of a pandemic and intend to have a transition or hybrid approach.

Others assume they will be mostly through the pandemic and back to a more normal distribution of classes, fewer capacity restrictions and more events.

Smart said he's squarely in the second camp.