Undergraduate instruction will be paused Monday and Tuesday to give students time to transition to remote learning, campus leaders announced Thursday.
Undergraduate instruction will be paused Monday, Aug. 24, and Tuesday, Aug. 25, to give students time to transition to remote instruction, Chancellor Kevin M. Guskiewicz and Provost Robert A. Blouin announced late Thursday.
“To our students, we recognize that the past two weeks have been a roller coaster for many of you, especially those who came to Chapel Hill only to experience a growing number of COVID cases on our campus,” they wrote in an email to the Carolina community. “Those escalating numbers and the ensuing change of plans created turmoil, and as a result, you are now making significant changes to your daily lives and the plans you had for your semester. Many of you need to move your residences, in addition to transitioning to remote instruction.”
In addition, the University is extending the deadline from Aug. 21 to Aug. 31 for undergraduate students to drop classes without receiving a “W” mark and have their tuition pro-rated accordingly. The change will provide more time for students — particularly new students — to understand remote learning expectations and talk with their academic advisors about their course loads if needed, according to the email.
Faculty will have discretion in how to make up the academic hours for cancelled classes — by adding class meetings, extending class time for scheduled classes, providing outside-of-class assignments or other ways — to ensure that students have the opportunity to achieve the learning outcomes of the course.
“We are grateful to you — our incredible faculty — for not only the expertise you bring to your classroom, but your dedication and compassion for our students,” Guskiewicz and Blouin wrote. “That has never been more evident than what you have shown these past six months.”
Students were also reminded of the University resources available to help them overcome hardships raised by the transition to remote instruction. Faculty have been encouraged to offer flexibility and care in supporting their students in the weeks and months ahead. The CV-19 Student Care Hub provides information on academic, financial and health and wellness resources available to all students. Federal CARES Act grants, the Student Impact Fund and the Student Emergency Fund are available for students with financial hardships. And the Office of Scholarships and Student Aid, the University Libraries, Academic Advising and Counseling and Psychological Services are all open and prepared to help students remotely.
The Carolina Together website will continue to have the latest updates on operational changes. The University has also established a Carolina Together hotline to help answer questions. The hotline number is 919-445-5000. It will be staffed Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Messages left after hours and weekends will be responded to within one business day.
The Well and University Communications