U of S president optimistic in-person learning will resume in the fall

The University of Saskatchewan is preparing for more face-to-face instruction in the fall.

In a statement posted on the university’s website, president Peter Stoicheff said he’s “confident” there will be more in-person, on-campus classes in the fall semester. However, he noted it might be early 2022 before all students and staff are back on campus.

“Due to current uncertainties around (COVID-19) vaccine rollout in this province and beyond, we cannot at this stage say exactly what the proportion of face-to-face versus remote program delivery will be in the fall term,” Stoicheff wrote.

“However, the increasing number of vaccinations, combined with continued health and safety measures in the province such as mask-wearing, physical distancing and restrictions on the size of gatherings, will enable a graduated return to our campuses beginning in September for many students, faculty, and staff.”

The university has primarily been relying on remote learning since last March, when COVID forced the school to close down classrooms and ask students to study from their homes.

Stoicheff said the U of S expects to have more of its student residences open by the fall and he suggested many services and facilities that have been affected by COVID measures will be running “to the fullest extent possible.”

The university’s Pandemic Response and Recovery Team is to work with others in the U of S community as well as provincial health officials to make sure students can return to campus safely.

Even so, the president said the school will assist students and staff who are to continue learning or working from home.

“While there is much planning and logistical work to be done, I am confident that the fall term will begin our transition back to a completely operational university campus, with full face-to-face program delivery likely at the start of 2022,” Stoicheff wrote.