Teresa Schuster / Asst. News Director
It’s an “open question” what FIU’s spring 2021 will look like, said President Mark Rosenberg at a recent virtual town hall.
FIU plans to distribute COVID-19 vaccines to the university community — and to increase in-person classes in spring 2021, although they may return to online learning if needed.
Rosenberg said FIU is studying the local and international situation of the pandemic closely and will adjust its plans for spring 2021 accordingly.
“It’s an open question where we will be in early January,” he told attendees. “At this point, we believe it’s important to prepare for as many face-to-face courses and as much on-campus return as we can.”
But courses could still transition to a fully online format after the semester begins, as in spring 2020.
“Very definitely there is a scenario of us going virtual [again],” said Rosenberg. “We are prepared to return to a virtual environment if necessary.”
Rosenberg said university COVID-19 related workgroups are continuing contact tracing and working on obtaining vaccines to offer to the university community.
“We’ve learned a lot since last spring when we went remote, and we are now better prepared with processes that have proven effective for us,” Rosenberg told attendees.
He cited low rates of COVID-19 cases in student housing and FIU’s Panthers Protecting Panthers plan, including information campaigns and regular cleaning on-campus, as successes.
And in spring 2021, FIU will have more access to COVID-19 testing than ever before, according to Rosenberg.
“We are strongly encouraging everyone…to get tested,” he said.
Eneida Roldan, CEO of FIU’s Health Care Network, elaborated on these plans and said FIU is working on expanding preventative measures as well as distributing COVID-19 vaccines in the future.
“We are in full preparation of our emergency services to be able to await the arrival of the number of vaccines,” Roldan said.
Roldan added that FIU does not know when they will receive the vaccines, and that they will be asking the FIU community to take them on a voluntary basis.
FIU has administered over 4,000 COVID-19 tests in its own COVID-19 lab so far, according to Roldan.
COVID-19 testing is free and can be scheduled here. There are also walk-up testing stations for students at FIU’s Modesto Maidique and Biscayne Bay campuses.
Rosenberg emphasized that FIU’s response to the pandemic’s health risks will evolve.
“We know that things change rapidly,” he said. “We have alternative plans for whatever arises.”
FIU Provost Kenneth Furton said there will be more in-person courses in the spring 2021 semester than in fall 2020.
“Over half of our courses will have an on-campus component, and the faculty are looking forward to seeing those of you who can come onto campus for those courses,” Furton told attendees.
Four types of courses are being looked into for the spring such as in person, in which students will be required to meet on campus, certified Hybrid-Hyflex carrying out both students meeting on campus along with having virtual class meetings, approved synchronous remote learning, students and professors meet only online and lastly fully online classes.
Furton said most classrooms will be “Zoom-enabled,” which allows students to attend remotely or professors to lecture remotely.
“The key is being flexible,” he said.
Faculty members are allowed to require attendance for on-campus or hybrid courses, added Furton.
For clarification on course modalities, Furton suggested students reach out to their advisors or professors, or to use FIU’s Ask Charlie feature.
FIU’s Associate Vice President of Facilities Management, John Cal, assured attendees the facilities team is working to provide a safe environment on-campus.
“We are doing our best to upgrade our systems and adapt new technologies as they’re proven,” Cal said.
Cal said FIU is emphasizing preventative maintenance in its response to the pandemic.
“The buildings are clean, so you can be confident that you’re coming into a clean and safe environment,” said Cal. “You’re probably safer here than you are at Publix.”
FIU will continue to require an FIU ID card to access certain buildings on-campus, Cal said.
FIU housing had a “successful fall semester,” said Andrew Naylor, senior director of housing and residential life.
FIU will require everyone in housing to be tested before checking in for spring or before classes start, said Naylor.
Senior Vice President of Academic and Student Affairs Elizabeth Bejar said FIU is planning a variety of student life events for spring 2021, in accordance with COVID-19 safety protocols.
Student Programming Council events will be fully remote until February of 2021.
“As the weeks progress the calendars will be provided to all our students,” Bejar said.
Rosenberg thanked faculty and staff for their service throughout the pandemic.
“For the past year, we’ve been managing ambiguity,” said Rosenberg. “And you’ve done an incredible job.”
He also said FIU is committed to its students.
“No student is going to be left behind,” said Rosenberg. “We care…the best is yet to come for our FIU.”
For more information about FIU’s operations and classes in spring 2021, access FIU’s Ask Charlie feature here. You can also follow us on Twitter.