The University of Southern Mississippi has announced its academic plan for the fall of 2020.
Not only will face masks be required, but there will be modifications to the classroom setup as the university plans to provide a welcoming, interactive, and positive learning environment for all students—even amid the challenges created by the COVID-19 pandemic.
There will be three types of course delivery utilized:
- In-person: No classes with a capacity over 50 will be offered in person. Classes with less than 50 can be in person.
- Online: These classes, which will be taught through Canvas, may have meetings that require all students to log on at the regularly scheduled class time to meet as a group, or they may offer flexibility by allowing students to choose when they listen to lectures.
- Hybrid: These classes will combine face-to-face meetings with remote learning.
Due to the limited number of available classrooms that will allow for physical distancing, the process of deciding which classes are held in-person has been prioritized to those: (1) with learning outcomes that are extremely difficult to translate to a virtual environment, and (2) that primarily serve incoming USM students.
As previously announced, classes for the fall semester will begin on August 17 and conclude on November 23. Exams will be scheduled during the week of November 30 through December 4 and will all be held virtually.
