UPEI planning blend of online, in-person classes for fall
Specific details for programs expected June 15
All UPEI students will have the opportunity for some on-campus student experiences when classes resume in the fall, the university says.
The university senate met on Friday and agreed to adopt a "blended framework" for the fall semester that includes online instruction for some programs and in-person, on-campus instruction for others.
Classes will begin as planned Sept. 8 with the exception of some classes at the Atlantic Veterinary College that begin in August.
The university sent a message to students, staff and faculty on Friday about the school year, said Nicole Phillips, UPEI's director of communications and university relations.
There isn't a one-size-fits-all description of how this will all look since it's a blended model.— Nicole Phillips
"There isn't a one-size-fits-all description of how this will all look since it's a blended model. For example, within the same program you could take one course online, and then have another delivered in-person," she said in a statement to CBC.
She said deans have been asked to continue working with the faculty in their areas to come up with specific details for each program and notify students by June 15.
Nursing predominantly in person
"One thing that is safe to say is that professional programs in the faculties of nursing, sustainable design engineering and veterinary medicine — those that are accredited/fall under regulatory bodies and feature clinical aspects — will be predominantly delivered in person and on campus, while other faculties will have a blend of program delivery depending on the year of study and program requirements," Phillips said in the statement.
Every student will have access to instructors and librarians through online and in-person contact hours, the university said, and every student will have a faculty adviser who they can meet with online or in-person.
Access to wellness centre
Every student will have online and in-person access to resources such as the library, academic help centre, the health and wellness centre and student affairs such as career counselling.
The university noted that guidance and directives relating to COVID-19 have been changing daily, and how programs are delivered in the fall will ultimately be determined by the public health orders in place at the time.
In March, the university suspended all in-person classes, labs and exams for the remainder of the semester. Convocation, which was scheduled for May 7-8, was postponed.