Laurentian University still shaping fall semester amid COVID-19, but most classes likely to be online

There will be fewer students on the Laurentian University campus in Sudbury this fall.

Thanks to COVID-19, school officials are still working out plans for what the fall semester will look like, but for now, it looks likethe majority of courses will likely be distance or online, saidSerge Demers, vice president academics.

A final decision about the fall semester should be known within the next few weeks.

"We can't at this point promise to have students back on campus as they were last September," Demers said.

In March, Laurentian became the first university in Canada to move all of its classes online due to a case of COVID-19 on campus.

But not everything can be offered online.

"Right now we're looking at what programs in particular more so thancourses would need to be on campus for at least part of their studies," Demers said.

"Nursing, midwifery, engineering, perhaps the fourth year students [in] engineering, would need to be on campus."

Holding mostly online courses would also drastically reduce the number of students who need to be on campus.

"Actually planning for something that we've never done before is very de-stabilizing, but at the same time needs to be done," said Demers.

Enrolmentnumbers likely to be lower

To add to the uncertainty, some students particularly new students are deciding to hold off on their education.

"[Enrolment is] the million dollar question or multi-million dollar question for Laurentian, and for this sector as a whole," Demers said.

National surveys have been distributed to students and their parents to gauge post-secondary school plans within the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

"Those are really pointing toward students and/or parents not really being eager to send off or go away from home come September because of the uncertainty of the situation," he said.

Demers expects with fewer students enrolled at Laurentian than in previous years it will greatly impact the school's bottom line.

"I think we would be foolhardy to think that this will not have an impact. The question is the magnitude of it."

Laurentian is now actively looking at different scenarios and trying to come up with models based on how many students will be enrolled "in one way shape or form."

Fewer students on campus this fall also means that LU's Frosh week and the back-to-school season will also look very different.

"It's clearly very different from other years, where the sense of security of knowing that when September hits, students come in and there are these welcoming activities, etc., campus becomes alive again," Demers said.

"I'm not getting that that's where we will be landing come this September."

Nipissing 'primarily' online this fall

Meanwhile, Nipissing University in North Bay announced on Friday that its fall semester classeswould be delivered primarily online.

"The health and safety of our Nipissing community is of the utmost importance and has guided our decision-making every step of the way," says Arja Vainio-Mattila, vice presidentacademic and research.

"Making this decision will allow our students, faculty and staff time to prepare. We are making significant investments in student and faculty supports for online learning and remain focused on finding innovative ways to create an enriching student experience this fall while adhering to public health guidelines."

In a statement, the university says it will provide further updates regarding residence life, placements, athletics, and on-campus services.