UPDATE 11/10/20 – Dr. Damphousse sent out a second email today confirming the implementation of the Credit/No Credit option for “Fall 2020 Jonesboro Campus classes only.”
Dr. Kelly Damphousse sent out an email today titled “Alert from Chancellor: Invoking Thanksgiving Option.” Citing concerns over the recent spike in cases of COVID-19 in Northeast Arkansas, the email concerned the decision to invoke the Thanksgiving option outlined in the Return to Learn plan, which was published in May.
The Thanksgiving option is as follows:
“The Fall 2020 semester will begin as scheduled on Aug. 25, with face-to-face courses planned for the entirety of the semester. However, we are recommending a contingency plan so that if there is a significant increase in coronavirus infection during the late fall, students may not return to face-to-face instruction after Thanksgiving. If this were to become necessary, the remaining lectures, study day, and final examinations will be delivered online. By making this recommendation now, faculty can plan their semester in case this scenario is enacted. As the decision regarding the Thanksgiving option would not be made until absolutely necessary, faculty should use the upcoming summer weeks to prepare for this potential need. Faculty will have the option to allow certain classes (i.e. laboratories, hands on activities and/or clinical experiences) to continue after thanksgiving or to advance them so that they are done before Thanksgiving.”
By invoking the option outlined above, Dr. Damphousse announced “most classes and final exams will be offered through online delivery in the weeks following the Thanksgiving break.” Instructors who wish to continue teaching classes in person must get permission from the Provost, who will make decisions on a case-by-case basis.
“With the growth of COVID-19 infections across the state (and beyond),” Dr Damphousse explained, “it is logical to predict that students going home for Thanksgiving and then returning to campus 10 days later could increase the likelihood of spread on our campus. If that were to happen, then we could observe increased spread across the state (and beyond) as students return home for winter break. Given that our instructors have been planning for this possibility since May, I am confident that we will be able to make this transition to mostly online instruction at the end of this semester.”
According to the email sent by Dr. Damphousse, campus will continue to be open after Thanksgiving, and all residence halls and campus buildings will remain open until the end of the semester. The Academic Calendar and final exam schedule will remain the same. Fall Commencement will still take place at 1 p.m. on Dec. 19 in Centennial Bank Stadium. However, the university will not approve any new in-person and on-campus events post-Thanksgiving. Any student events have already been planned will be approved on a case-by-case basic by Dean of Students Martha Spack.
Returning this semester is the Credit/Non-Credit option. Dr. Damphousse stated he had asked that the Faculty Senate consider reinstalling the C/NC option, and is currently awaiting a decision. (UPDATE: According to Dr. Damphousse, “A-State Faculty Senate voted Friday to recommend that the Provost extend the Spring 2020 Credit/No Credit (CR/NC) grading option for Fall 2020 Jonesboro Campus classes only. Provost Alan Utter has concurred with that recommendation and I have authorized him to implement this change.”) CR/NC is an option where students can choose to have a class marked as “Credit” (for grades A, B, C or D) or “Non-Credit” (for grade F) based on their grade in the class at the end of the semester. CR/NC grades will not affect a student’s GPA, but will also not be guaranteed to satisfy any specific program, major or university requirements.
Currently, A-State plans for the Spring 2021 semester to “look much like the fall semester at A-State,” meaning there will be a mix of in-person, hybrid and fully online courses. The current Spring 2021 calendar is still planned, meaning Spring Break is still currently planned. If conditions change, however, the university will announce the cancellation of Spring Break by late January.
The full email can be read here. Past campus correspondence can be found here.
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