Many colleges and universities across Virginia are experiencing an increase in coronavirus cases as students begin returning to campus for the fall semester.

A report in the Richmond Times-Dispatch found that universities across the commonwealth recorded more than 550 positive COVID-19 cases since the start of the pandemic. Still, several schools in the commonwealth plan to continue housing students on campus.

According to the University of Virginia’s  COVID-19 dashboard, 67 positive cases have been confirmed on-campus, with students making up 40 of those cases. Three of the campus’ positive patients are hospitalized.

The university had a total of about 25,000 undergraduate and graduate students as of last fall, and employs 30,000 people. Athletes, medical students and some students working in labs were permitted to return to the campus over the summer.

Classes began online on Tuesday, and students are scheduled to move into the residence halls five days before classes start in-person on Sept. 8. — a delay from the original start of classes on Aug. 25.

University officials wrote a letter to the community on Friday, defending their decision to forge ahead with in-person learning while schools across the country opt for remote semesters.

“We know people will contract the virus and some will get sick. There will likely be outbreaks that we will have to work to contain” reads a statement from top administrators. “There are no easy answers here, and there are no risk-free paths. And while we can’t expect to persuade all who disagree, we can tell you that we have listened to all perspectives…and are making what we believe is the best decision at this moment in time.”

Campus organizations like the Student Council and the Young Democratic Socialists have been campaigning for an all-virtual semester and stronger protections for students and employees, reported the university’s independent newspaper, the Cavalier Daily. A student-led online petition with a list of demands for the university has garnered more than 1,000 signatures. 

Across the commonwealth, universities that decided to bring students to campus have seen similar rises in cases. At Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, which reopened its campus on Aug. 17, 108 students and 8 employees have tested positive. Almost 170 of the more than 4,000 residence-hall students are currently quarantining on-campus, either with a positive test result or a possible exposure to someone who tested positive. The university has dedicated dorm rooms in its Honors College residence halls for COVID-19-positive students to isolate.

At Radford University, which started classes on Aug. 12, 98 students have tested positive for the virus, the Richmond Times- Dispatch reported Friday. On Thursday, the university suspended a fraternity and eight of its members for violating the school’s coronavirus gathering guidelines. The city of Radford, which had only reported 26 coronavirus cases from March 1 to August 1, has had a total of 334 cases as of Saturday. The city made it onto the New York Times’ list of coronavirus “hot-spots” on Friday, coming in at number 10. It has since moved up to ninth place.

Meanwhile, other universities across the commonwealth have opted to continue completely remote learning models through the fall semester. Virginia State University and Randolph College are operating virtually. Community colleges like Northern Virginia Community College and Germanna Community College in Fredericksburg are offering both remote and in-person learning for some students.

Several universities within the District have decided to keep classes online for the semester, while some like Catholic University and George Mason University are welcoming students back on campus for a taste of the college experience.