In an email sent on Tuesday, May 19 to students, NYU Provost Katherine Fleming announced a series of plans being considered by the university in order to avoid a fully remote semester for the beginning of the 2020-2021 school year.
“In short, during the coming academic year we plan to offer you significant additional flexibility as to how you study, where you study, and when you study (that is, the time span over which you spread your classes),” the email reads.
Among the ideas being considered are a mixed mode of being able to participate either in person or remotely, restructuring classes to be completed over either two or three semesters and an expansion in summer 2021’s course offerings with no rise in tuition prices. Students should expect emails from their academic advisors about how to utilize these new learning options in the coming week.
In terms of safety, the university says that it will provide masks for all members of the NYU community and require their use, in addition to reviewing that campus spaces for events and classes are compatible with social distancing. The email also states that the university will conduct contact tracing as well as virus and antibody testing.
For students who live near any of NYU’s 14 global study away sites and are affected by travel restrictions, the university will provide a “Go Local” option, which will allow students to study at the global site in the closest proximity instead of the campus they planned on attending. Students can apply for the Go Local option from the Global Programs webpage with a deadline to apply by Monday, June 1st. Students will be notified of their options by Monday, June 15 with a deadline to make their final decision by Wednesday, July 1. According to the email, the Office of Global programs will send a follow-up email tomorrow explaining the program.
NYU also announced it plans to “reduce density in student housing” without any further detail or a timeline for when details will be announced. By late June or early July, the university will provide updated information about how the upcoming school year will operate under public health guidelines.
University Spokesperson John Beckman did not respond to a request for comment by the time of publication.
Email Matthew Fischetti at [email protected].
