In the latter half of the semester and students trying to schedule classes, it is crucial to think about what goes into that process and how things have changed for this upcoming spring 2021 semester. This scheduling is especially important as the state COVID-19 positivity rating is currently at an all-time high. It is these topics and more that Provost Angela Durante was able to talk about.
When asked about any potential changes for this upcoming semester, Durante brought up how there are currently four types of classes: hybrid, online, in class, and virtual, and there will be no changes to those formats. She also mentioned, “For the spring, the percentage of online and virtual courses is similar — about half of all courses will be offered remotely through either of these formats. In planning for the spring, first-year students were asked to identify if they needed a fully-online schedule so space could be made in remote classes for those students. [Graham School of Management] is permitting students to enroll in internships as companies have had time to prepare and to confront COVID-19 in their workplaces.”
Durante did give some insight as to what goes into the process of figuring out what changes are happening next semester in regards to classes by saying, “Adjustments were made in response to faculty and student observations about how the fall is going.”
She expanded on that by saying, “The health and well-being of our campus community remain our priority. In our decision-making, we follow the latest recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Chicago Department of Public Health (CDPH). We also asked students and faculty for feedback and ideas. For example, a survey was sent to students in the Transitions classes, and feedback was sought through the GSM Student Council. Faculty have been asked regularly about their recommendations about how to best support student learning in the spring.”
Durante also made sure to say this about how COVID-19 has affected planning and creating classes, “COVID-19 has been the critical part of how the academic year was planned, emphasizing the health and safety of our students and the campus community. The offering of more remote classes and the socially-distanced classrooms and other spaces around campus have been in direct response to the limitations resulting from the pandemic.”
By next semester, the change of class scheduling is no surprise to this school year. Durante explained the usual process for deciding what classes are available during these unprecedented times, saying, “Planning centers around our students and how many are in each major and each year. We work to build a selection of courses that help students make progress. The goal is that students will be ready for courses they should be taking in the next year and so that they make progress toward graduation. That hasn’t changed due to COVID-19. What has changed is the transition to more remote classes, the creation of socially-distant classroom spaces and labs, and the reorganization of the Library space and other spaces on campus.”
One of the vital things to consider when it comes to scheduling for the next semester has been the recent statewide rise in COVID-19 positivity rating. Durante said that, “As cases rise, the University reminds its community to stay diligent and take COVID-19-related precautions seriously, which means a renewed focus on social distancing, proper mask usage, frequent hand-washing and sanitizing, avoiding large gatherings and making wise decisions for the good of our community. Our Health Center remains in regular contact with the Chicago Department of Public Health (CDPH) and continues to monitor campus trends along with the University’s Operations Continuity Team. In the event the state of Illinois mandates a return to a more restrictive phase, contingency plans are being made.”
Along with the rise of COVID-19 cases in the state and nationwide, one question to consider is whether events like a graduation ceremony and Spring Formal will happen in the Spring of 2021. Durante says, “We continue to follow state and city guidelines with respect to Commencement celebrations, which are slated for the weekend of May 7th through May 9th, 2021. We are committed to creating a memorable and safe ceremony that will celebrate the extraordinary accomplishments of the Class of 2021 while adhering to applicable guidelines. We’ll keep you up-to-date as plans for the spring become finalized.”
She did, however, say this when it came to the topic of new events for next semester, “We continue to follow state and city guidelines, and those guidelines limit our ability to plan in-person events. We are always considering safe ways to host activities and campus traditions. We continue to look creatively at possibilities for safe spring events. We are open to suggestions from our students on new experiences or ideas that could be implemented during this time. Contact studentlife@sxu.edu with your ideas.”
Lastly, Durante had this to say to the students of SXU, “This is such an unusual time, and we are all being asked to do extraordinary things for the common good. I appreciate our students and the campus community for everything they are doing. Everyone is making extra efforts to keep us all safe and healthy. This makes it possible for Saint Xavier’s students to go forward in their education as part of this active and vibrant learning community.”