St. Lawrence College (SLC) has begun to reveal its plans for program delivery in the upcoming fall semester. Preliminary decisions include offering a mix of alternate delivery and in-person classes, with priority for on-campus delivery going to health sciences programs and programs involving applied components like labs and other hands-on simulations.
While individual program delivery methods are still being confirmed, SLC is deciding what will be delivered based on input from sector and community partners, as well as local and provincial workforce and economic needs.
Making this decision now ensures the academic, support, and operating teams have adequate time to prepare and to best plan for students’ needs, according to SLC President and CEO, Glenn Vollebregt. “These plans remain fluid and we will be flexible and adapt where needed to best support our students and the teams involved with program delivery.”
SLC is also formulating the return-to-work plan for employees along with programming considerations. These measures will be communicated in the coming weeks and will be based on physical space and distancing requirements as well as general operational needs, such as what is needed to support a partially open campus, and how many people can be safely working in shared spaces.
Early planning indicates that 20 to 25 per cent of the student body may be on campus, according to Vollebregt. “We are committed to delivering students an educational experience that equips them to succeed while continuing to prioritize the health and well-being of our communities.”
“SLC will ensure proper physical distancing on our campuses can be observed, and we will continue to follow public health protocols in how our buildings are opened,” Vollebregt said. “Our number one priority is our students’ safety and providing a learning experience that equips them to succeed. I thank everyone involved in arriving at these decisions; our work isn’t done yet, and we remain committed to arriving at the best solutions for our students, faculty, staff, and communities.”
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