Rowan University To Start Fall With In-Person, Remote Learning
Rowan University will begin its fall semester with a mix of remote and in-person learning as New Jersey continues to reopen amid the coronavirus pandemic.
“Our faculty have worked to transfer and refine their curricula to provide students a robust academic experience delivered within all public health guidelines,” university officials said this week. “While we had planned for a full return to campus this fall, it is apparent that New Jersey will remain in Stage 2 of its reopening plan for the foreseeable future, so we will begin the fall semester accordingly.”
Students will be able to live in on-campus housing from the start of the semester, with enhanced health and safety measures in place to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. The university will remain flexible with their deadlines for anyone who would like to live on campus. Students will be permitted to return to on-campus housing at any time, even after the semester begins if space is available.
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Courses that require labs, technical and clinical rotations, and hands-on instruction will be offered in person, according to the university. Classes that involve higher-risk activities (likely transmitting more aerosolized droplets), such as theater, music, dance and physical education, will begin in a remote format and will transition to in-person instruction when authorized by the state.
All other classes, including lectures and seminars, also will begin remotely with many courses designed to transition to in-person instruction when authorized by the state and others remaining online.
Once the university is permitted to offer in-person instruction, students may choose to continue in remote learning or a HyFlex combination.
“We will refine safety protocols from one stage to another to transition quickly and smoothly at any point during the semester as the state provides guidance in response to changing circumstances,” Rowan University President Dr. Ali A. Houshmand and Provost Troy Lowman said in a joint statement. “We will support students who need medical accommodations to continue their studies, at all stages and for all classes.”
Course schedules will be finalized by Friday, and students will receive instructions on how to determine the mode of delivery for each, officials said. Academic Advising will hold information sessions to help students better understand how the semester will start.
An extended move-in schedule will start the week of Aug. 20 so the university can follow social distancing protocols as set forth by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
University Housing will notify students of their assigned move-in date and time. Dining services will be available according to restrictions, which allow outdoor dining and pick-up for now.
Students will also have the chance to engage in in-person and virtual activities of all sorts — academic, social, cultural, recreational and more. Read more here: Fall Sports At Rowan University Canceled
“Starting the fall semester with more limits than we hoped for is unfortunate, but the good news is we are ready to shift immediately to fewer restrictions as the state makes progress,” officials said. “Until then, Rowan University will be the best model of an academic community that we can: dedicated to rigorous study and research, supportive of every member of the Rowan family, and resilient, creative and agile in the face of uncertainty and challenge. Wherever we are, we will make the most of our opportunities and make a difference in our world.”
See more stories about New Jersey's coronavirus recovery.
This article originally appeared on the Cinnaminson Patch
