By Emily Groseclose
The ongoing pandemic caught us all off-guard during our Spring semester, but PLU has a plan to make Fall a little less chaotic. PLU plans to return to in-person learning next semester, but will be making a few changes to ensure safe learning and social distancing.
In an email sent out by the Office of the President last month, President Allan Belton explained some of the measures being taken to ensure that students are safe while still receiving the education they signed up for.
PLU plans to return to in-person learning in September with boundaries set in place as recommended by health experts. This will be made easier to accomplish because of PLU’s open campus, small class sizes, and flexible classroom spaces Belton said.
Classrooms will be organized somewhat differently: social distancing will be maintained between students and faculty, and event rooms like the CK room in the UC will be converted to classrooms for larger class sizes.
Faculty will prepare for anything (that may come this Fall) by participating in online teaching training, or PLUTO courses, over the summer. that will undoubtedly be teaching blended courses in the fall. PLUTO will be incorporating lessons learned from this semester to improve upon next semester’s online curriculum.
Along with changes to courses, residence halls and dining services will operate differently in order to accommodate for social distancing and health guidelines. Sports and performing and visual arts will operate in accordance to guidelines as well, but it is not clear exactly how.
This is all logistical, operational information. In terms of mental health and the predicted atmosphere on campus next semester, I interviewed Dr. Jennifer Smith, Dean of Inclusive Excellence to ask what she thought this social distanced semester might have in store for students.
Smith is prepared for anything at this point–including another semester of remote learning. “While it is difficult to predict what classes will look or feel like this fall, I do know that faculty are eager to connect with students in ways that feel more familiar to us — but no one is willing to sacrifice the safety of our students, faculty, or staff to go back to ‘normal.’”
She continued on to say that she hopes that campus is different this Fall in the hopes that we take a break from the engrained concept that our time is only valued if we are productive and busy all the time.
“There are many aspects of ‘normal’ that are problematic from various inequities and oppressions to the culture of ‘busy’ and ‘more, more, more.’ So, I hope that campus is different this Fall, that we return with a greater sense of shared purpose, more empathy, and a resistance to ‘busy,’” said Smith.
After this semester, PLU is preparing for anything–from all in-person learning to blended learning to distance learning. Right now, all we can do is hope for the best and take this time to rest and recuperate during this pandemic.
Take care of yourselves–mentally, emotionally, and physically–and we will (hopefully) see you in September.
