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Spring 2021 Academic Affairs Plan

The Spring 2021 Academic Affairs Plan features several components designed to promote a safe, flexible, and effective educational experience at FHSU.

 

Spring Course Schedule and Delivery

Total On-Campus (TOC) Courses – Notate with TOC

  • Designed for courses that must be  entirely on-campus to be completed.
  • Courses should be scheduled in a classroom/lab space for the duration of the course.
  • Students will attend these classes on campus.
  • Given the small number of fall TOC courses, these could be scheduled in an 8- or 16-week

format and would most likely be allowed to continue with on-campus instruction throughout the scheduled course time.  However, any course delivered as a TOC may have to be paused or delayed at a given point of the semester, given the public-health situation. 

  • Students will pay on-campus tuition for these courses.

Hybrid Courses (HC) – Notate with HC

  • Course times and days should be scheduled for the entire semester in a classroom.
  • The primary focus of these hybrid courses is flexibility.
  • Meant to expand the boundaries of the classroom, hybrids should contain a blend of online and face-to-face components.  HLC requirements indicate that at least 25 percent of a hybrid course should be delivered through face-to-face instruction.  It is expected that all students will have the opportunity to participate in face-to-face instruction.  An online component is also critical in a hybrid course.   
  • Due to classroom space constraints, some students in a hybrid course might be in the physical classroom space while others may be connecting to the class remotely through technology. 

Each hybrid course will be uniquely designed by each academic department with the HLC guidance in mind.  The hybrid design and attendance expectations for a specific course should be available to students prior to the start of the semester (through a course syllabus or contact in the department office). Instructors are encouraged to think about what they are willing and able to accommodate regarding attendance expectations.  The course should still be designed in such a way that fully online instruction is possible at any given time of the semester should the public-health situation necessitate a shift at the University.

  • Students will pay on-campus tuition for these courses.

Total Online (TOL) Courses – Notate with TOL

  • Designed for courses that have traditionally been scheduled as on-campus courses but will be offered completely online. Courses do not meet face-to-face on campus.
  • Course times and days (no classroom) for TOL courses should be scheduled as faculty will hold synchronous class meetings periodically at the designated class time/day throughout the semester.  That time should fit within our standard schedule for class times. The requirement of a synchronous component differentiates the course from an FHSU Online course.
  • Scheduled class times during the semester do not have to equal 45 contact hours.  Only schedule the day(s) of the week and time that you plan to meet synchronously with students.  (e.g., If you plan to meet on Tuesdays at 9 a.m., schedule the course for Tuesday from 9 to10:15 a.m.) 
  • Students will pay on-campus tuition for these courses.

Virtual courses (signified by a V and listed as Online) will be delivered online with no modification.  Students will pay online/virtual tuition for these courses, which are generally offered asynchronously.

Students were informed of course notations and schedules available when pre-enrollment began in October and were asked to contact their academic department or academic advisor with questions about the Spring 2021 schedule.

 

Classroom Health and Safety Protocols

These protocols continue from Fall 2020 and align with the fundamental health and safety requirements set forth above. These apply to all classrooms, labs, or studios on the FHSU campus or other University facilities.

  • Classroom Physical Distancing and Other Practices –
    • Only students and instructors of any particular class are allowed in the classroom space dedicated to that course section.
    • Classroom seating should be set and maintained for social distancing. Classroom diagrams to assist with this are available upon request. 
    • Avoid having students face one another.
    • Breaks should be planned to ensure the maintenance of social distancing (i.e., staggered break times, small groups, hand washing after station work).
    • Assigned seats are recommended to assure proper social distancing when a class does meet face-to-face.
    • Cleaning of desks, tables, chairs and doors should be completed after class meetings on a regular schedule. Students and faculty may be asked to clean their areas of use utilizing University provided supplies. Individual faculty are responsible for coordinating with custodial staff to confirm the cleaning protocol after class meetings. Classrooms and other learning spaces will be thoroughly cleaned each evening during the week.  
    • Frequent surface and facility cleaning in all common areas and meeting spaces throughout buildings should occur through coordination with custodial staff.
    • Utilize University signage to assist with general health and safety protocols, as well as any special reminders relating to hallways, elevators and stairwells.
    • Use the dedicated entry and exit designated for each classroom and building.
    • Avoid contact with high-touch surfaces (e.g., keep doors open to allow movement without touching knobs when possible and when it does not impact fire and other safety zoning).
    • Restrict as much as possible-limit, if necessary-the sharing of materials such as papers, pens, equipment, etc. Have enough supplies to minimize the sharing of high-touch materials to the extent possible (art supplies, math manipulatives, science equipment, etc.), or limit the use of supplies and equipment to one group of students at a time and clean and disinfect these items between uses.
    • Avoid sharing electronic devices, books, games, and other learning aids. Students might need their own bin of materials that they use for learning—and these materials will need to be cleaned regularly.
    • Establish and maintain a static seating chart to support contact-tracing efforts, should they be needed.
    • Faculty, staff and students are encouraged to bring their own water to minimize the use and touching of water fountains.
  • Gathering, Personnel Workflow, and Movement Practices
    • Cohorts should be small and consistent. They should not be changed during class or from class meeting to class meeting to reduce the amount of contact between people.  Seating, lab stations, lockers, breaks or other rotational activities should be by cohort. 
  • Use of Face Coverings
    • The University’s face covering policy, set forth above, will apply in classrooms and across the University. Faculty and students should plan to have a face covering with them at all times.

Any additional information regarding safety protocols in specific courses on campus should be made available to students on the first day of their classes.

 

The China Program

Decisions regarding the Spring 2021 semester will be communicated to faculty teaching in China, in addition to FHSU administrators and partners.

 

Faculty and Staff Support

Three initiatives are identified as priorities for faculty and staff support: 1) Care teams for faculty and staff deployed in Fall 2020; 2) Regularly update and provide additional staff technology training and University processes, and 3) Utilizing University mentors to assist with faculty in teaching transitions. 

 

Public/Constituent-Facing Services and Facilities

Each public/constituent facing service at FHSU has unique space, staffing, and other factors that limit the ability to have a one-size-fits-all plan.  These plans are available for each space. 

For additional information regarding the Academic Affairs plans for Spring 2021, please visit the Spring 2021 Academic Planning FAQ’s available on our COVID-19 Response website.