IUPUC is revising its academic calendar and adding safety protocols as it prepares for classes to begin Aug. 24, including requirements for staff and students to wear masks.
“Our decisions regarding the return to campus have been made under the leadership of Indiana University in partnership with local and state health departments, including collaborations between Indiana colleges and universities,” said Dr. Reinhold Hill, vice chancellor and dean at IUPUC. “Our top priority is the health and safety of our students, faculty and staff, as well as visitors to campus and the community at large.”
The fall semester will see a mix of blended and online classes. The semester will be 13 weeks for many courses, ending on Nov. 20, with proctored exams on Nov. 21 and 22, if needed, university officials said.
Other courses will maintain the standard 16-week format. In order to achieve a 13-week semester, there will be no fall break. However, students in courses that go beyond Thanksgiving will have a 10-day holiday break and finish with three weeks of online-only study, the university said.
The 2021 spring semester will reverse that strategy and start with online-only classes beginning on Jan. 19. On Feb. 8, the campus will reopen for blended instruction through the end of the semester. There will be no spring break, according to the university.
IUPUC’s plans for instruction include a combination of online and face-to-face learning experiences. The format and length of each course is mainly dictated by its learning goals, though class size and social distancing are also important factors, university officials said.
All IU employees and students will be provided with two washable face coverings before the fall 2020 semester begins, according to the advisory sent to IUPUC students. While face coverings will be provided, individuals may also choose to wear their own, which must comply with IU guidelines.
For more on this story, see Thursday’s Republic.
