UNM Los Alamos

Returning to Campus

Returning to Campus


UNM-Los Alamos Classes Begin 1/19/2021 

UNM-Los Alamos is planning to be open for a limited number of classes and activities to begin on campus at the beginning of the fall semester. We plan to limit the number of people on campus and encourage remote operations as much as possible. For the spring semester, individuals on campus will be limited to about 25% of what might have been “normal” in the past. We do not anticipate having more than 70 people on campus at any given time.

UNM-LA will follow main campus re-opening protocols including the revised academic calendar for fall semester. No face to face classes will be held after Thanksgiving break. Additionally, all face to face classes will be web enhanced to facilitate any additional changes to the teaching modality that may be required.

Download the most recent UNM-LA Re-Opening Plan as submitted to HED.

Download the UNM-LA COVID-19 Checklist.


View: Los Alamos County Information on Pandemic and Corona Virus

View: New Mexico Department of HealthCOVID-19 Screening & Testing Site


Phasing the Return to Full Operations at UNM-LA

Phase One

Early summer instruction will be fully online. A limited number of individuals will be allowed to return to campus for critical functions and to support Fall planning. Employees should coordinate with their supervisor as to which functions will be considered critical and who will be asked to return to campus. Various essential operations that require access to campus facilities will resume; however, all members of the campus community who are able to work and learn remotely during Phase One are encouraged to do so.


library.jpg Planning for Fall and beyond will continue with constant consideration of the pandemic’s progress. All employees will be required to wear face masks. UNM-LA has disposable masks available, sanitizer placed at entry points throughout the campus, and cleaning supplies will be distributed.


Phase Two

classroom-distance.jpgStudents will begin returning to campus, in more limited numbers than in the past.This is subject to change based on New Mexico Department of Health Public Health orders.

UNM-LA leadership will design and pilot the processes necessary for protecting health and delivering education and services as more people return to our campuses later in summer. UNM-LA leadership has been actively planning our phased return to full operations around an aligned strategy with integrated task team.

UNM-LA is currently offering a hybrid Fall term which will deliver critical in-person education in a controlled way that minimizes transmission of the COVID-19 virus. Staggered class sessions or possible schedule changes are being considered as ways to minimize crowding.

In order to phase into resumption of operations, our institutional actions must be aligned with the state’s COVID Safe Practices (CSPs) for businesses (See All Together New Mexico, especially pages 9, 11, 14), which include physical and policy approaches to hygiene, screening, distancing, and mask-wearing. Personal actions also focus on hygiene, self-screening, distancing, and mask-wearing (See All Together New Mexico, especially page 7 ). This is a collective effort: "I will keep you safe, and you will keep me safe."

coronavirus-badge-300.pngUNM-LA is working closely with The University of New Mexico Albuqueruqe as we develop safety protocols. We ares closely monitoring the public health concern related to the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) through trusted authorities including the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), U.S. Department of State, World Health Organization , New Mexico Department of Health and UNM Health Sciences. UNM is maintaining a webpage with updates relevant to the UNM community along with links to various resources available to students, faculty and staff. The content will be continually updated as new information becomes available.

Visit this page at www.unm.edu/coronavirus/.