Intersession shifts to web delivery

August intersession classes at the University of Central Oklahoma moved to an alternative teaching method as they began this week.

The change came three weeks before campus reopens to all students for regular fall classes on Aug. 17.

Adrienne Nobles,  interim vice president for Communications and Public Affairs, said in an email that, “The decision for alternative delivery was made weeks ago as an extension of the summer plan.”

However, until recently, classes on the university student portal, UConnect, showed room locations. They switched to “TBA” last week for all intersession classes.

Mass Communication Department Chair Mary Carver clarified that classes moved to an alternative teaching method for the intersession.

Carver explained that UCO faculty would do their best to ensure effective learning experiences for students enrolled in remote classes.

Many public schools and universities plan to return to class in August, but decisions like this may have to follow if COVID-19 cannot be kept out of the classroom.

Oklahoma City Community college announced on July 29 that it would be moving the entirety of its fall semester to online learning.

OCCC President Jerry Steward stated in a press release, “It is clearly unsafe to invite 17,000 students back onto our campus in the midst of record-breaking new cases of COVID-19 in and around our community.”

UCO enrollment is about 15,000 students each semester.

COVID-19 continues to spread in Oklahoma at a rapid rate. The Oklahoma State Department of Health reported 1117 new cases of the virus Thursday.

Oklahoma has confirmed a total of 35,740 positive cases. OSDH also reported 13 deaths for Thursday. There have been 40 deaths since Saturday, with 536 total deaths reported as of Thursday.

According to Tuesday’s Centralities, a daily email sent out to UCO students, faculty and staff: “There were seven new positive cases among the campus community reported last week. The current total reported since June 1 is 20, and 13 have recovered. These numbers reflect confirmed positive cases reported to the Department of Public Safety among employees and students who have been on campus.”

For more information on the university’s response to COVID-19, visit https://www.uco.edu/coronavirus/.