Vice Chancellor tells faculty to prepare for possible fall session
By Toi Creel
Changes are coming to UCLA because of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) that could result in a remote fall session.
Last Monday, University officials announced that Summer Session C would be held online because of the virus.
However, they’re not completely going towards a virtual program, though close.
The University is also considering the possibility of having some programs on campus with in-person construction, according to both the Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost Emily Carter and Vice Provost and Dean of Undergraduate Education Patricia Turner.
Students received all the news in an email.
Despite the possibility of in-person classes, University officials told students to prepare for solely virtual instruction unless their department gives them specific instructions.
Summer Session C will begin on August 3rd and will last until Sept. 11.
These changes come following the April switch to all virtual classes with Summer Session A.
As far as what will happen in the fall, officials have yet to release protocol, but according to a memo sent to faculty from Carter, faculty should expect that in the fall, many courses will be taught remotely.
“Faculty should expect that in the fall, large courses will be taught remotely, as will some smaller required courses,” Carter wrote. “At this moment, we do not yet know how many students we will be able to accommodate in residential halls and apartments, and a large number of courses cannot be held fully in person given current safety guidelines and space constraints. UCLA will need to allow students who are unable to reside on campus or take in-person classes to have the opportunity to progress appropriately in their academic programs. Consequently, we are asking departments, divisions, and schools to plan to offer sufficient remote courses to provide all students with the options to fulfill department and degree requirements.”
Currently, 30 people among the UCLA campus community have been confirmed by medical professionals to have COVID-19 and have reported their diagnoses to UCLA.
Sam Catanzaro contributed to this report.
