Ferris State University has been communicating with students, faculty and staff about
academic instruction ahead of the 2020-21 academic year.Preparations for Ferris State University’s 2020-21 academic year have been communicated to new and returning students who are learning about their options for receiving academic instruction and more. This planning complies with local, state and federal guidelines for everyone’s health and safety, including students, faculty and staff.
Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs Bobby Fleischman noted the three options for students to receive academic instruction.
“We will offer as many face-to-face instructional opportunities as we can,” Fleischman said. “The university’s focus on student success and degree completion remain consistent with our vision and mission.”
The academic instruction methods include:
- Face-to-Face (F2F), where lectures and laboratory learning are delivered in-person, though some classes may have portions of the content offered through alternative means;
- HyFlex, where delivery of instruction takes place on specific days and times, with the instructor and student arranging their face-to-face or remote sessions; and
- Online, where the instructor might specify synchronous, or scheduled days and times for the remote class sessions, or asynchronous, where students pursue their classwork remotely and arrange all necessary interaction with their instructor.
“I am grateful for the work undertaken across all divisions, departments and units within the university to provide students and faculty learning opportunities that are flexible, but also rigorous, and valuable to our degree requirements,” Fleischman said. “Our goal was to make people comfortable with their part in the process for the academic year ahead.”
Vice President for Student Affairs Jeanine Ward-Roof said that a variety of practices, policies and procedures are being enacted across campus, including updated guidelines and initiatives for disinfecting and cleaning all facilities and spaces. This includes specific requirements for students, faculty and staff in health monitoring, social distancing and face coverings inside university buildings, and other situations that bring people together.
“We understand that everything will be different,” Ward-Roof said. “We have to be flexible, willing to pivot when necessary, follow CDC guidance, and by working together, we will successfully move through this pandemic and continue to offer a superior educational experience.”
Information on these measures is available on the university’s coronavirus home page, online.