US community colleges are beginning to announce online plans for the Fall 2020 semester. Citing Holyoke Community College’s student demographics, HCC says that it will offer an online-only semester as a precaution.
HCC is a commuter college, whose 11,500 students tend to be older than traditional college students. Many have children, are students of color, come from lower-income households and are “essential workers.” Administrators at the college also believe that a second wave of coronavirus infections could take place in August or September, just as the fall semester begins. These factors place HCC students at higher risk of contracting COVID-19.
In Michigan, institutions are beginning to announce their plans for the fall. Among the four-year universities, all three Upper Peninsula campuses (Lake Superior State University, Michigan Tech and Northern Michigan University) all intend to conduct in-person classes in the fall. Currently, the Upper Peninsula has only a limited number of cases of COVID-19.
In the Lower Peninsula, Grand Valley State University intends to conduct in-person classes. Oakland University plans to offer hybrid course delivery. MSU and WSU have both told their faculties to prepare to deliver classes online in the fall, but have not yet committed to that delivery. The University of Michigan “remains hopeful” that it can deliver an in-person or a hybrid delivery of fall classes.
Among community colleges, Lansing Community College intends to offer most classes online. It will conduct courses that require hands-on laboratory work in-person. Jackson College (which also offers a limited number of four-year degrees) intends to deliver all classes online. WCC has not yet announced its fall semester delivery plans.
The trade unions – including the UA and the Ironworkers’ Union have canceled their summer instructor training programs originally scheduled for July and August.
Photo Credit: Aaron Yoo , via Flickr
