Leadership for the University of North Georgia are making several adjustments for classes for the spring 2021 semester, including increasing the amount of face-to-face instruction in one of its class models and removing the traditional week-long spring break.
According to a news release posted on the university’s website, classes labeled Hybrid 1 will meet in-person at least once a week. An example is for a class that is scheduled for Monday, Wednesday and Friday, students will be divided into three groups and each group will meet in class on one of those days.
The website states that this increase in face-to-face instruction is up 50 percent from this school year. Last semester, hybrid courses met in person 25 to 50 percent of the time.
There are currently five different course models at UNG. While the Hybrid 1 course model will have an increased amount of in-person instruction, the other four models will stay the same.
An additional model called “partially at a distance” will be added for the spring 2021 semester. Technology will be used to deliver more than half of the class sessions but there will be a requirement to attend class in person part of the time.
University leadership have also decided to eliminate the traditional week-long spring break originally scheduled in March. Instead, students will have a two-day break on April 1 and 2, as well as a break from class on March 9.
The news release states that some reasons for omitting spring break include risk of spreading COVID-19 through travel, impact on incoming cadets for spring 2021 and financial aid considerations.
The spring semester will still begin on January 11 and end on April 30. Final exams are scheduled for May 3 through 7.
A final change for the spring semester is an updated class attendance policy. Students are expected to attend both online and in-person portions for all hybrid courses.
Students who stop attending class may be administratively withdrawn from that class and given the grade of W or WF. A grade of W, or withdraw and passing, will be given to any student does not attend 10 percent of any class meeting before the midpoint of the semester. A grade of WF, or withdraw and failing, will go to any student who stops attending class after the semester midpoint.
As with each semester, students who are sick for an extended period of time or experience other major hardships can apply for a hardship withdrawal from a class with no academic penalty.
