Plans for the spring

October 14, 2020

To:  University Community
From:  President’s Cabinet
Subject:  Plans for the spring

While the pandemic makes it difficult to predict the coming months with any certainty, today we are writing to share our approach to the spring 2021 semester/sessions. We are hopeful that the University will be able to provide some opportunities for in-person teaching/learning and for residential life, while we, as a community, commit to all necessary health and safety precautions.

College of Arts and Sciences

Per state guidance, we have submitted a COVID-19 prevention plan to the County of San Bernardino, with a proposal to welcome College of Arts and Sciences (CAS) students back onto the Redlands campus with reduced density in residence halls and classrooms, as well as safety procedures that include face coverings, physical distancing, handwashing, disinfecting of spaces, etc. We are currently awaiting feedback from the County.

As CAS students begin to register for their classes this week, they will notice faculty members have indicated the modality in which they wish to teach each class: online, in-person, or hybrid (using both modalities). For planning purposes, we are conducting class registration with the assumption that the County will allow us the flexibility to offer some in-person options. Currently, about 40% of College of Arts and Sciences spring classes are listed as in-person; 20% as hybrid; and 40% online.

Assuming students will be in residence, the academic calendar for the CAS spring semester has been adjusted to eliminate spring break to discourage travel, limit the transmission of the virus, and protect the health of our community. Classes are now scheduled to start on Tues., Jan. 19 and end on Mon., April 19. (If students are not in residence, this calendar may be revisited.) May Term remains scheduled for Monday, May 10 to Friday, June 4.

Beginning in early November, Residence Life and Housing staff will contact students to confirm their housing plans for the semester. If students have not done so already, they are urged to complete or update their Housing Intention for Spring 2021 form available on the MyRedlands Housing Portal. The University plans to offer single-occupancy rooms. On-campus dining will be primarily grab-and go, to include the convenience of ordering in advance from Harvest Table via GrubHub or GET Mobile Ordering; outdoor dining will be encouraged. Leading up to the spring semester, students will receive a COVID-19 Safety Pledge and Expectations document outlining community expectations for all those living and learning on campus. In addition, a COVID-19 Operations Plan that provides details on health and safety precautions, as well as community expectations, will be made available to all members of the community.

Schools of Business, Education

The School of Business and School of Education, which operate in numerous locations throughout Southern California, will begin spring instruction online and assess the possibility of additional modalities (hybrid, on-ground) as local conditions allow.

Graduate School of Theology

The Graduate School of Theology will offer spring classes online and, as conditions allow, transition some classes to include optional small group precepts.

School of Continuing Studies

All classes in the School of Continuing Studies will remain online until the summer of 2021. Only one class, Beer to Eternity, was cancelled due to the pandemic.

We want to be transparent in acknowledging that we may need to adjust our plans, depending on feedback from the County of San Bernardino and other public health authorities, as well as the course of the pandemic. While there is much we cannot control, we can continue to establish responsible policies, act flexibly, and strive to fulfill our mission to provide an engaging and personalized education to all of our students.

Look out for additional emails about the spring as more information becomes available.