Laurentian University has determined that it will deliver a majority of its courses through remote teaching, and at the same time, deliver as many courses as safely possible with face-to-face teaching starting in September.
This announcement is made possible by a memorandum of understanding between the University and the Laurentian University Faculty Association (LUFA), signed on May 27.
The agreement details the specific modalities and working conditions for professors. With this agreement now signed, the university will convene a special meeting of the Laurentian University Senate on Monday, June 1 to approve the plan for the Fall Semester and full year courses starting in September 2020.
Academic programs and their courses will be evaluated by the respective Dean following consultation with the Units. Considerations such as the number of students, the available classroom and laboratory facilities, as well as the course requirements will be used in determining if the course will be offered face-to-face or remotely.
“The safety of our community is most important to us. Through this, we have determined that we can safely offer some courses in-person. We aim to deliver a highly personalized, exceptional classroom experience, and we believe that we can safely deliver this for certain courses," said Dr. Robert Haché, President and Vice-Chancellor of Laurentian University.
"We look forward to September and having some students return to our classrooms on our campus. It will surely feel different, however, we are committed to finding the best way possible to deliver teaching and maximize learning - our students deserve nothing less.”
The list of courses to be offered on site will be determined by the end of June. Deans and units will identify plans to ensure personal protective equipment, physical distancing, and other public health protocols will be followed, for faculty, staff and students.
“We would like to thank our labour partners, LUFA, for their dedication to our students and in collaborating with us to sign this memorandum of understanding," said Dr. Serge Demers, Interim Vice President, Academic and Provost.
"This is the first step in our plan to be able to resume teaching on campus and we look forward to implementing further steps of the plan as we look forward to the Winter term.”
Other courses will be delivered remotely, leveraging technology and online learning management software. Students, whether in Sudbury or anywhere in the world, will have the option to attend through remote delivery, or select from a wide range of online courses that have been developed over the years if they prefer an asynchronous delivery.
