Students will return to a different-looking campus in the fall.
Roughly 84% of UB’s classes will have an in-person component next semester, according to the Office of the Registrar’s website. That compares to just 16% of classes that will be offered remotely.
“We are very optimistic about the university’s ability to safely deliver the majority of courses in person this fall, given the tremendous progress being made against COVID-19,” vice provost for academic affairs Graham Hamill said in a news release. “At the same time, we understand the need to be flexible, and we are planning for multiple scenarios as a result. The health and safety of our campus community will take precedence in any plans that are implemented in the fall.”
The university classifies “in-person” courses as those with an in-person component, including those with hybrid or HyFlex structures.
“It’s important to note that ‘in-person’ means there is some element of classroom-based instruction, but a course can be hybrid, HyFlex or in-person and be classified as an in-person course,” according to the release. “Still, the fact that so many courses will have an in-person component will come as a huge sigh of relief to Zoom-fatigued faculty and students.”
The university notes that the percentage of in-person classes is subject to change depending on public health guidelines in the fall.
“While the goal of the university is to return to in-person learning for the fall 2021 semester, course modalities may change as health and safety guidelines are updated,” the Registrar website says. “Students are responsible for regularly checking their schedules in their HUB Student Center for any changes to day, time, location or modality.”
Individual departments will be responsible for deciding which courses to hold online, and which to hold in-person, the Office of the Registrar says.
Universities across the country have announced plans to resume in-person instruction in the fall semester as COVID-19 infection rates slow and vaccine rollout ramps up.
President Joe Biden recently increased his goal of vaccinating 100 million Americans in his first 100 days in office to 200 million, and has vowed that every American will be eligible to receive the vaccine “by the end of May,” according to the New York Times.
New York State is ultimately in charge of whether or not students will be mandated to receive the COVID-19 vaccine requirement before resuming in-person classes, according to university spokesperson John DellaContrada.
Fall 2021 classes will begin on Aug. 30
Brendan Kelly is the assistant news editor and can be reached at brendan.kelly@ubspectrum.com
