Portland State President Stephen Percy announced in a letter to the PSU community on July 30 the university is planning for a mostly remote fall term.
“I have heard from many students that they need to make important decisions about travel, housing and other plans as soon as possible,” Percy stated. “Given the recent rise of COVID-19 cases in Oregon, however, we need to do all we can to protect the health of students, faculty, staff and visitors. As a result, the number of fall classes in a face-to-face format will be extremely limited with nearly all courses taught remotely.”
This announcement comes after weeks of university planning for a Flexible Fall Program, which would allow students to choose learning formats that suit their personal and academic needs while taking extensive health and safety measures in the midst of the ongoing pandemic.
The Flexible Fall Program originally offered a combination of in-person, remote, online and “flex” courses, which were designed to allow students to “take advantage of enhanced technology capabilities to allow students and faculty to choose formats that are best suited to meet learning goals and that provide the flexibility to accommodate public health requirements.”
Now with COVID-19 cases rising in states across the United States, including Oregon, PSU has made the decision to rethink its Flexible Fall Program.
While most courses will be remote this fall, Percy assured students there will be more on-campus resources available this upcoming school year than there were this past spring. “While courses and many services will still be conducted virtually, some student resources—including the library, study spaces, some retail, campus rec, child care and health and wellness services —will be available on campus,” Percy stated.
The updated plans for fall term will be released on August 10, and students can sign up for a webinar providing more information on August 11. Until then, members of the PSU community can stay updated on planning for fall term at PSU’s Fall Flex website.