Fall 2020 Update for Students

06.05.2020

Dear Students,

Over the last few weeks, President Snyder and Provost Poon have been communicating LMU’s plans for the fall 2020 semester. We hope you have had an opportunity to read the prior updates and watch President Snyder’s video. We are excited to welcome you back to the bluff and continue to be committed to our Ignatian traditions of academic excellence and care of the whole person.

Your health and wellness remain our number one priority and continue to inform our planning and preparations for the fall. We know that this semester will be different, and that we all have to be ready to adapt to new and changing circumstances. We are committed to providing students with a learning environment that follows best practices for social distancing and sanitation as defined by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. As we prepare the campus and the fall course schedule to be in alignment with government regulations, our goal is to minimize any disruption to your fall schedule; however, there may be some changes to course timing or course modality that may include the following:

• We will be offering our courses through three different modalities for maximum flexibility and to protect the health of our community. These will include in-person classes, hybrid classes, which is a blend of in person and remote sessions, and online classes.
• We are committed to meeting students where they are, either on campus or virtually. Students who are not able to attend classes in person due to health concerns, travel restriction or delays in receiving a visa, will be able to participate in their courses remotely. If it is your intention to study remotely for the fall semester please notify the Office of the Registrar at registrar@lmu.edu.
• Classes will be spread out across the day and start times will be staggered to allow for optimal physical distancing. Although course times will need to be modified somewhat, most students will experience little disruption to their current course schedule as courses will basically be sequenced in the same manner. We will reach out to any student who needs to make an adjustment to ensure that all students stay on track towards their degree.

Modifications to the fall course schedule will continue over the next several weeks and may change occasionally while it is being optimized. We will communicate with you once the course schedule has been finalized. We ask that you hold off on any actions or decisions until then. When the schedule is finalized we will communicate the process for reviewing and adjusting your fall schedule prior to the start of classes. Students will have the opportunity to contact their Dean’s office with any questions. We appreciate your patience and understanding as we work to assure that all LMU students have a successful fall semester.

We are working on building enriching and engaging classes that are optimized for the mode of delivery and that allow students to interact and build community. Our faculty are preparing over the summer to ensure that our classes have the same signature elements, and we look forward to building impactful experiences with students. Please reference the FAQs provided on the Office of the Registrar’s website and direct any questions to registrar@lmu.edu or your dean’s office.

With warm regards,

Maureen P. Weatherall, Ed.D.
Vice Provost
Enrollment Management

Kathleen Weaver, Ph.D.
Associate Provost for Research, Professional Development, and Online Learning