(Files by Justin Madu-MyPGNow)
Students at UNBC and CNC will primarily participate in classes virtually this fall as the two institutions follow the advice of the Provincial Health Officer.
UNBC has stated the fall and winter semester schedules will be available on May 19th, with registration coming on June 1st.
The school hopes to address the concerns of students in lab-centric programs.
“What we’re really waiting on is if there is some flexibility in the guidelines provided by the Provincial Government to see if we can deliver labs,” said UNBC President Dr. Geoffrey Payne.
CNC’s President, Dr. Dennis Johnson, expressed similar intentions:
“Many of our programs have a hands-on lab, shop, or experiential component, so we’re looking at how we can do that safely on-campus.”
The two schools anticipate a break from the in-person lectures of last fall, as Payne said:
“The traditional large classroom-style lectures… I just don’t see it for fall.”
While Johnson stated:
“It is very likely that alternative delivery will be the primary mode… there’s no scenario that we can imagine where we have everyone back.”
Furthermore, Payne explained UNBC is working with both the Provincial and Federal Governments on student visas, including visa extensions for students who were unable to return home due to COVID-19.
Payne said it is possible that international students may be given the chance to participate in classes virtually from their home countries.
Johnson concluded that CNC continues to plan for all possibilities: “we could be in a very different place by the end of August.”
Both UNBC and CNC reported strong enrolment numbers, although they said final numbers are subject to change.