Penn University Sets a Precedent for Other Educational Institutions: Announces Remote Learning for the Spring Semester 2021

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Penn State University has announced its plans of delaying in-person classes for the upcoming spring semester 2021. The renowned University has made this decision after intense deliberations about the current health crisis. It will transition to a fully remote modality of learning on its campuses for the upcoming semester.

Plans for the Upcoming Spring Semester

Beginning from 19^th January 2021, all classes will be held remotely until February 12^th, 2021. This is to ensure that the educational experience for students remains uninterrupted. From February 15^th onwards, classes are slated to resume in their normal modalities as on-campus lessons. This date has been set for all Penn University campus locations. However, a notable point in this decision is that the date for resuming normal classes is a tentative one, and is subject to change in the context of the altering intensity of the health crisis. As of now, the University plans on conducting the semester through an amalgamation of both the virtual mode and the normal, in-person teaching-learning system. The 15 week long semester is slated to end on 30^th April, followed by semester examinations from the 3^rd of May.

Eric J. Barron, Penn State President, stated “While we know this creates a number of challenges for our community, we are very concerned with the current outlook across the country and the commonwealth and believe this is the most responsible way to begin our semester. Shifting to a remote start has been a scenario we have been preparing for by building flexibility into every level of our operations in order to prioritize our students’ academic achievement.”

Significance of this Decision for Other Players in the Higher Education Sector

This important decision was a result of passionate reflections on the Covid-19 trends. The expertise of the state health officials, views of the faculty experts in epidemiology, infectious diseases, medicine and public health as well as the University’s Board of Trustees were all important contributors in the resultant verdict. The objective is to protect students, especially when the country is witnessing a stringent resurgence of Covid cases. Moreover, this decision by a leading State University will serve as an important precedent for other such higher education institutions to follow suit.