President
July 30, 2020
Classes Will Begin August 24; On-Campus Exceptions Possible for Special Circumstances
Plans by the University of Portland to begin its fall term with a combination of in-person and online instruction have changed in response to the course of the COVID-19 pandemic. Instead of a “hybrid” approach to instruction, almost all classes will now be taught online beginning August 24 for the fall 2020 semester. University President Rev. Mark L. Poorman, C.S.C., shared the plan in an announcement today to faculty, staff, students and parents.
“Even with well-conceived plans developed by three inter-divisional task force groups, we were always aware that factors beyond our control could force us to change direction,” said Father Poorman. “It was a difficult decision to shift back to entirely remote instruction. Nevertheless, the health and safety of our students, faculty, and staff come first. We are confident that this new direction for the Fall Semester will promote the well-being of our community and allow us to continue to meet the high academic standards people expect from the University of Portland.”
After UP switched to online instruction and telework operations last March, academic and administrative leaders had hoped that the community could return to campus on August 17. UP’s operational resumption strategy included smaller, reconfigured classrooms; quarantine protocols; designated spaces for isolation; de-densified residence halls; expanded health and counseling resources; thousands of instructional signs to guide safe physical distancing; and increased inventories of facial masks, protective equipment and disinfecting supplies. But recent trends showing the COVID-19 pandemic worsening and more deaths around the Pacific Northwest necessitated a new course of action.
Underscoring the need for UP to modify its plans is the fact that many of its students come from states where the pandemic continues to spread. Slow turnaround times in COVID-19 testing, the lack of vaccination and anti-viral treatments, and the pandemic’s inordinate impact on communities of color were also reason for worry.
“Not only are we responding to the continued threat of COVID-19, we’re also addressing the expressed concerns of our faculty, staff, students, parents, alumni and supporters,” added Father Poorman. “We remain optimistic that management of the pandemic will improve soon. Until then, we will proceed with all necessary caution, while still delivering accessible instruction and a comprehensive curriculum.”
Remote classes will be taught through Friday, December 4, with the traditional Fall Break for faculty and students scheduled for October 12-16. Select residence halls will house a small number of students whose personal or academic circumstances necessitate on-campus resources. Beginning Monday, December 7, through Thursday, December 10, UP will administer final examinations online. There will be no study abroad programs offered for the fall term.
Decisions regarding UP Athletics and the state of fall sports will be determined by West Coast Conference and NCAA leadership in the coming days. The fall 2020 semester will end on Thursday, December 10. More information is available online at up.edu/coronavirus.University of Portland
5000 N. Willamette Blvd.,
Portland, Oregon 97203-5798
503.943.8000
This website uses cookies to track information for analytics purposes. You can view the full University of Portland privacy policy for more information.
