The Register Citizen (Torrington, CT)
State colleges plan in-person classes
The 17 state colleges and universities under the Board of Regents for Higher Education plan to start the fall 2020 semester with in-person classes but end with distance learning to beat a likely second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic.
In a statement released Friday, the system — which includes four state regional universities and a dozen community colleges — will start its fall semester on Aug. 24 in person, as was originally planned.
Classes will follow the common calendar through Thanksgiving, with the end of the semester and exams online. Arrangements for residential students to move in are still to be determined.
“Like all other institutions of higher education across the country, we are navigating uncertain times and preparing for an upcoming academic year like no other,” said Mark Ojakian, the system president, in a written announcement.
Ojakian said campus teams and CSCU steering committees put together recommendations for academic affairs, enrollment management, student life, student support services, logistics, technology, operations and facilities based on public health guidance and in accordance with Gov. Ned Lamont’s Reopen Connecticut Advisory Committee plan.
The 12 community colleges — among them Norwalk, Housatonic in Bridgeport, and Gateway in New Haven — will be permitted to offer in-person courses beginning June 1 for those who need to complete spring programs or enroll in workforce development programs.
Classes at the colleges and universities this fall will be delivered in a variety of in-person, online, remote, hybrid and flexible course design models.
The community colleges and universities will be prepared to pivot to offer fully remote courses and services if public health conditions warrant.
Before campuses are opened, each must have a written plan in place that speaks to the monitoring of health and steps to be taken if a flareup of the COVID-19 pandemic should occur.
“We have many questions to answer and arrangements to make before we reopen,” Ojakian said. “We will share additional details in the coming weeks as we prepare for the fall.”
At Western Connecticut State University in Danbury, spokesman Paul Steinmetz said while all the universities will follow the directives, there will be “minor modifications” at each campus.
The steps being taken by the CSCU system mirror plans a number of colleges in Connecticut and around the country intend to follow.
Sacred Heart University and Quinnipiac University in Hamden both announced last week intentions to condense the fall semester so students do not have to return to campus after Thanksgiving.
There, too, the last two weeks of the semester and finals will be held online.
Fairfield University said Friday they were still finalizing their plans but they do plan to return to oncampus teaching and instruction in the fall.
“(Fairfield University) is considering various scenarios to ensure academic continuity and community vibrancy,” said spokeswoman Jennifer Anderson.
Staff writer Julia Perkins contributed to this report.