D. Lassner

May 4, 2020: David Lassner, UH President: “The University of Hawaiʻi plans to resume in-person classes on all 10 campuses beginning August 24, 2020, as scheduled. We all realize that the fall will absolutely not be a return to business as usual. Rather, UH will deploy a COVID19-aware safe approach to providing high-quality education…. Planning is now beginning for the necessary changes across our UH campuses to support appropriate social distancing and hygienic practices based on the guidance available. While the fall semester is being planned to ensure safe instruction on campus, we are also preparing for greater use of online resources and some classes shifting to hybrid modes with a mix of on-campus and online instruction.” UH News.

John Cox

May 4, 2020: “Cape Cod Community College is moving its fall semester online as the country continues to grapple with the coronavirus. The community college in West Barnstable, Mass. said that all courses for the rest of the summer semester, and the entire fall semester beginning in September will be moved to online, remote or hybrid learning formats…. John Cox, the community college’s president[:] ‘There’s no need for gap years or lost time towards degrees or certificates with our virtual doors now open for all students.’ … Boston University … officials shared additional details last week about a new format for the fall semester. The format involves 44 graduate and professional programs moving to a hybrid model that will offer classes on campus for students who can be in classrooms. A remote learning component is also planned for students both on or off campus, to accommodate potential safety requirements imposed by public health authorities.” -Hilary Burns, Boston Business Journal.

Davis-Blake

April 28, 2020:  Bentley University President Alison Davis-Blake: “‘If we are nimble, challenge our assumptions and think innovatively, this is an opportunity to help our students and Bentley thrive in the years to come.’ In the upcoming 2020-21 academic year, the university will offer three trimesters (fall, spring and summer) for undergraduate and graduate students. The fall 2020 academic calendar will continue as previously announced, allowing students and faculty to follow the schedule for which they have already registered…. The spring and summer trimesters will be reworked as 14-week sessions. Academic year 2021-22, and moving forward, will contain three 14-week trimesters…. To help alleviate the uncertainty and financial strain caused by this public health crisis, for next year only, all undergraduate students will be able to take full or partial course loads in the fall, spring and summer trimesters of 2020-2021, while only paying tuition for the fall and spring.” -Helen Henrichs, Bentley University.

M. Conlon & C. Dunne

May 4, 2020: “Ontario colleges and universities hope students can attend classes on campus this fall — but professors have been told to prepare for online learning…. The move to virtual learning until the end of the year, at least, is required to ensure staff and student safety — but it’s also a move fraught with uncertainty. While professors have quietly been told to keep lessons online, it remains unclear if that will cause a dip in new enrolment and returning students, who generally view online learning as substandard, especially when it comes to labs and hands-on courses…. ‘Our members are hearing, informally, that there is a recognition that the (fall) term is going to start online, start remotely and that, by the end of the fall term, they are hoping to transition to on campus,’ said Michael Conlon, executive director of the Ontario Confederation of University Faculty Associations…. Catherine Dunne, who heads the Ontario Undergraduate Student Alliance, said …. with enough time to plan, online learning can be of high quality and ‘students can have a sense of purpose and something to do … The spring (move to online) was a very quick transition and not the quality some students had hoped for.’” -Kristin Rushowy, The Star.