Multiple Iowa Colleges and Universities Set Fall Scheduling Plans

Amidst the Coronavirus pandemic and lost class time at the end of the past school year as institutions were shut down, several of them in Iowa are releasing plans to return students to campus in the fall. Let's start with Iowa State.

They will adjust their Fall calendar to begin August 17. The first semester will end the day before Thanksgiving, November 25. ISU President Wendy Wintersteen said via press release at KCRG,  "adjusting the calendar will allow us to complete the semester before Thanksgiving and minimize the potential spread of COVID-19 due to holiday travel".

They will offer the students the option to come back to campus but have also readied online and hybrid-format learning options.

Residence halls will offer single and double occupancy and implement additional cleaning practices. Cafeteria service will eliminate self-service options, offer take-out and shift operations to reduce capacity.

Also according to KCRG, Kirkwood Community College says they will offer a similar mix of in-person, online, or hybrid-format learning options. They are working on ways to reduce class sizes, depending on program requirements.

The model being offered at Mount Mercy University, according to KWWL, also allows students to take classes entirely on-campus, entirely online, or a combination of both.

Many schools had begun offering remote learning years before the pandemic (it was an option 20 years ago when I was at Kirkwood) but now technology makes it an easier and much more efficient option. Much like working from home, it could be the "new norm".