Online instruction to continue in summer as registration underway

by DAVID CATALAN
Contributor

Registration for summer classes is in full swing as students and staff prepare for a semester where virtual instruction will continue to be the norm for many courses.

The decision to maintain online instruction over the summer continues a policy that has been in effect since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic more than a year ago, which mandates that courses take place virtually unless they feature an hands-on component like a lab. The policy is a response by the WCC administration to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, even as larger shares of the public continue to get vaccinated.

WCC President Rose Bellance has said repeatedly that safety is our No. 1 priority, said Kimberly Hurns, executive vice president of instruction and academic affairs.

“Too much uncertainty in the way of safety for students, faculty, and staff” helped drive the decision to continue teaching courses online in the summer term, Hurns said. She said the administration took into account several variables, including the number of COVID-19 cases in the state of Michigan and the status of the vaccine rollout at the time they made the decision. The administration also wanted to give students sufficient time to plan ahead.

In January, the administration was already discussing what form summer classes would take, according to Hurns. The administration did so while also sticking with the usual timeline of posting the summer schedule in February — in advance of the first day of registration in March.

Although many instructors are set to teach online, the summer term will still offer some classes or parts of classes in person, particularly those where students work in a technical setting that virtual instruction cannot easily replace, such as law enforcement training and auto body repair. Students who wish to attend these courses must first undergo a COVID-19 safety training. Separately, they must also complete a screening questionnaire each time they enter campus and wear a mask.

When asked about the fall term, Hurns did not know more details about how the college would operate. She pointed to the fall class schedule, which advises students to expect changes in case safety concerns arise. However, the schedule also shows many classes returning to campus for in-person instruction. “That’s what we’re working toward now,” she said, “to make sure that we can deliver on that schedule safely.”

The summer semester runs from May 10 to August 2. The last day for students to add a class is specific to each class.

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