Oct. 5, 2020
Dear Students,
As we continue to navigate this most unusual fall semester, we are also turning our attention to planning for Spring 2021. We wanted to provide you with a few updates as we do so.
Academic Calendar
Reminder: beginning Nov. 30 through the last day of the semester (Dec. 21), all on-campus courses will move to remote format. Only clinicals will continue in person at their respective sites.
For the spring semester: start and end dates remain unchanged. Classes will begin on Monday, Jan. 25 and end on Saturday, May 15. There IS a change regarding spring break for courses. Spring break has shifted later and will take place Friday, April 2 (Good Friday) through Thursday, April, 8. This will allow additional time after families gather on Easter Sunday before students, faculty and staff return to campus. Classes will resume Friday, April 9.
Please refer to the Academic Calendar for all official Fall 2020 and Spring 2021 semester dates. Note that these calendar changes are not reflected in the printed Trocaire College Community Planner, as it went to press prior our re-opening plan.
Classes
In Spring 2021, courses will continue to be delivered in a combination of in-person and remote learning that promotes physical distancing. Most lecture/seminar courses will take place in an online format, while hands-on courses (such as science labs and simulations, and clinicals where possible) will take place on campus or at their appropriate site. A small number of courses will be made available in seated sections or with a synchronous hour for remote meeting time, and all in-person courses will be able to pivot to online should regional conditions change.
At this time, there is no plan to go all-remote after Easter.
Clinicals
We continue to work with clinical partners to identify placements, respond to site constraints, and make clinicals available to as many students as possible while providing for safe experiences for both students and those in their care at their sites.
Support Services
The buildings remain open until Winter Break, with support services offered both in person and online. Services such as tutoring, academic advising, library services and computer lab/printing access will continue to be available on site to all, even if your classes are remote. This includes the period following Thanksgiving—while students will not return to classes after this point, the campus will remain open for support services and staff and faculty offices. This same pattern will continue in the spring.
Thank you for your continuing resilience and hard work during a truly challenging time. Stay tuned for more information regarding Spring 2021 scheduling and other matters in coming weeks.
Dr. Lowe
Allyson M. Lowe, Ph.D.
Vice President, Academic Affairs
Trocaire College
