May 4, 2020 - Update on fall semester 2020
Dear UMSL Students,
I hope this message finds each of you well, staying safe, keeping connected and continuing your studies as we near the end of the spring semester. Seeing your commitment to learning and focus on completing your degrees inspires us all.
I know your transition to remote learning this semester came quickly. But, each of you rose to the challenge, as did our faculty and staff. You already know that we are planning for a fully online summer term, but I wanted to provide an update on the fall semester as we know many are wondering how courses may be delivered.
At this time, we anticipate being back on campus for face-to-face courses and the full UMSL experience in the fall. We love interacting with you in person and miss the physical presence of our campus community. However, we are mindful that there may be future stay-at-home orders should circumstances change and that public health officials may extend guidance for safety measures such as continued social distancing.
To accommodate the various possibilities, our approach has been to increase online offerings to maximize flexibility in your fall course schedules while also increasing online elements in your face-to-face classes to prepare for a potential transition to remote learning if needed. Faculty are working diligently to design and re-design their courses with best practices to combine face-to-face with online for a blended delivery. For those unfamiliar with blended learning, these courses incorporate the strengths of both face-to-face and online learning to create a unique and quality experience. As we transition face-to-face courses to a blended delivery, no action will be required from those already enrolled and a change will not result in additional fees for our students.
This truly has been a semester filled with learning for all of us. We are so grateful that you have chosen to learn with us at UMSL, and our staff and faculty advisors are ready to assist you as you enroll in summer and fall courses. Remember that we are waiving all online fees for summer 2020, so now is a great time to earn credits and keep on track towards earning your degree.
Additionally, we recognize that many students struggle to have the resources they need even in the best of circumstances. We encourage you to visit the Student Social Services website to find information on resources including food assistance, parenting support and community support. We also have our Keep Learning website that provides links to many resources to assist you now and in future semesters.
I admire the perseverance that you and our faculty and staff have demonstrated throughout this time, and I wish you all health and well-being as you finish this most unprecedented of semesters.
For our spring graduates, congratulations! Though we made the difficult decision to postpone our spring commencement ceremonies, please know that we are actively planning for in-person celebrations in December. You’ve earned it and we look forward to celebrating the conferral of your degrees when it is safe to come together again.
Sincerely,
Kristin Sobolik
Chancellor
University of Missouri–St. Louis
