Preparing for Spring 2021 Instruction
Dear Twin Cities Faculty and Staff,
With the fall semester now underway, I want to again recognize you for your tremendous work, ingenuity, and commitment as we have collectively planned and implemented this fall’s educational experience for our students. I know that the two-week delay for in-person instruction this fall created additional stress, and I especially appreciate your quick adaptability, which enabled us to adjust our campus health and safety plans.
Although it may seem premature to turn our attention to spring semester, registration is approaching and we will need to have our class schedules ready soon. Given the current public health circumstances, we are making the following recommendations now to guide spring semester planning:
- We will retain the 6-foot physical distancing and face-covering requirements for our classrooms, in accord with Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) guidelines. This will necessarily limit the capacity of each room as it did in the fall semester.
- Faculty and instructors will retain the ability to choose their modality, subject to classroom capacity constraints to achieve physical distancing (see the class format guide for definitions of the four different modality options.) Instructors should decide on their preferred course modalities, in consultation with chairs/heads. Departments must update the class scheduling system (CCS) with modalities for spring classes no later than October 2.
- We are also working with SCEP, FCC, and the Faculty Senate to consider a change to the Spring Break week. As with Thanksgiving this fall, we have concerns about students traveling away from campus over spring break and then returning to campus.The current proposal being developed moves Spring Break into April (either April 5-9 or April 12-16). This proposal:
- would retain a full week of break to enhance mental health,
- has the potential to coordinate with the spring breaks of the Minneapolis and St. Paul public school districts (April 5-9), and
- would permit us to be responsive to scientific and public health developments; we would decide at a later date (but still well in advance) whether to resume some in-person instruction or transition to fully distanced instruction for the last three weeks of instruction and final exams.
All these plans will be discussed at the Board of Regents meeting on October 8-9.
As has been the case throughout this pandemic, we may need to adjust these plans in response to new information that develops. If that happens we will let you know as soon as we can.
I remain committed to instructor autonomy in determining the modality of one’s classes. We continue to gather training and development resources for instructors who wish to learn more about best practices for teaching in alternative modalities; these and other instructional resources are gathered in the Instructor Topics page within MyU. I know that we all share a commitment to delivering excellence in education, regardless of modality, and I hope that these resources help you to realize that commitment.
Thank you again for your steadfast dedication and inspiring collaborative efforts, from the spring pivot, through the uncertain summer, and into this fall. Because of you, we continue to deliver excellence in teaching, research, and service for our students and communities.
As always, I welcome your questions or comments at [email protected].
Sincerely yours,
Rachel T.A. Croson
Executive Vice President and Provost
email sent to all Twin Cities faculty and staff on September 24, 2020