Fall 2020 Classes At NEIU

This announcement is to update you on the progress of the Fall Transition Steering Committee’s discussions regarding the fall semester. Our primary goal as Northeastern Illinois University prepares for fall instruction is to keep our students, staff and faculty safe while maintaining our tradition of academic excellence. Accordingly, we will keep face-to-face interaction at a minimum in accordance with federal, state and local guidelines. Hence, fall instruction will be comprised of courses offered in remote, online, hybrid and, in some instances, face-to-face formats with appropriate safety precautions.

• Courses offered remotely utilize several virtual formats and tools such as websites, email, live or recorded audio and/or video lectures, and message boards. These classes are delivered primarily in synchronous formats and have a scheduled day/time slot to conduct activities. While asynchronous (without regularly scheduled meeting times) tools are used, this format uses as many synchronous (with scheduled meeting times) tools as possible.
• Online courses utilize Desire2Learn (D2L), an integrated learning platform designed to create a single place online for instructors and students to interact. These courses can make greater use of asynchronous formats/modes of delivery, with no scheduled time slots.
• Hybrid courses use the face-to-face format combined with online and/or remote instruction.
• Face-to-face courses will be in person with appropriate class sizes to maintain social distancing, and face masks will be required in accordance with federal, state and local guidelines.

Please know that the Provost’s Office is providing training for faculty and instructors over the summer to help sustain high-quality online and remote instruction. This training is facilitated by the Center for Teaching and Learning and by facilitators from Quality Matters, the national gold standard for online instruction.

In addition, the Fall Transition Steering Committee is developing plans for the following:

• Begin the fall semester a week early (Aug. 17, 2020) to mitigate the potential combined effects of the flu season and the current pandemic.
• Offer more eight-week courses at the beginning of the semester to facilitate social distancing.
• All face-to-face formats, particularly in lab and studio spaces, will adhere to social distancing and participants will wear masks; additionally, we are exploring the use of virtual labs and studios.
• We will return to our normal grading policies as outlined in the course catalog.
• The Library will open in accordance with federal, state and local guidelines, and some services may be limited.
• The P.E. Complex will open with prescribed social distancing and participants will wear masks.

The Fall Transition Steering Committee will continue to meet, and more detailed information is forthcoming. During the interim, please consult with NEIU’s Coronavirus Response website for more information regarding our return to campus. I hope that you are enjoying your summer and that you are keeping safe.

Posted on behalf of Dennis Rome, Ph.D., Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs/Interim Vice President for Student Affairs, by Mike Hines, Director of Strategic Communications.