Duke University dorm capacity reduced by about 30% to limit coronavirus spread

Officials announced the university would be reducing the amount of students allowed to use on-campus housing, decreasing dorm capacity by roughly 30%.

Move-in for the fall semester will begin on Aug. 7. Undergrad classes will then start on Aug. 17.

How many students will be impacted is not immediately clear, but the announcement has added stress for some students who have a few weeks to prepare for classes.

One Duke University student said rumors about changes have been circulating all summer.

"And just the fact that they told us we would all be on campus and it changes less than three weeks before school starts -- it really puts everything up in the air," they said

Michael Schoenfeld, the chief communication officer for Duke, said the university has plans in place to accommodate juniors and seniors who planned to live on campus, but have to make other living arrangements.

"The capacity has been expanded. We have secured several local apartment buildings, apartment complexes that will be part of our on-campus housing inventory for the year, as well as the Washington Duke Inn," said Schoenfeld.

He explained all first-year students and most sophomores will have single rooms in an effort to promote social distancing.

The university says Durham County and North Carolina’s COVID-19 trends prompted the changes.

"We are trying to create the safest possible environment for our students, for our faculty, for our staff, for the community," said Schoenfeld.