Released by Clemson University.
February 17, 2021
Dear Clemson students,
We are pleased to share our current plans for fall 2021 courses, but first, allow us to express our sincere gratitude and admiration for your efforts to study during these challenging times while adhering to our COVID-19 protocols. We are proud of your accomplishments and community spirit!
Looking ahead to the fall 2021 semester, we are aiming to increase in-person experiences. There are some trends that give us hope we can succeed. It is predicted all instructional faculty and possibly a substantial proportion of students and the broader community will be vaccinated by fall. National infection rates are currently dropping rapidly. Clemson's infection rates are very low, and we have best-in-class strategies for testing and isolation.
There are still some notes of caution, however. We cannot yet predict how many students or community members will be vaccinated by the start of the fall semester, nor what impact, if any, variant strains of the virus may have.
After careful consideration of these factors, we have concluded planning for a near-typical fall semester is warranted. However, we must keep in place infrastructure and mechanisms to transition our teaching toward a mix of traditional, blended, and fully online modalities if necessary.
Details of our plan:
When you register for fall classes starting on April 12, you will see mostly “in-person”, also known as “traditional modality” classes listed. The vast majority of students should be able to register for all in-person classes.
This summer, the COVID-19 environment will be assessed to determine if a change in teaching modalities is warranted to manage health risks. If any changes are made, we will notify you directly. Later in summer, you will have the opportunity to rearrange your course schedule.
Also, this summer we will post a procedure for both students and faculty to request accommodations for online-only teaching or learning in the fall. We will also clarify course attendance policies.
Prior to the beginning of the fall semester, we will return all furniture and desks from temporary storage back into classrooms to provide the option of having all students attend each class. Very likely, many of the current COVID protocols will continue to be in effect in Fall 2021, e.g., face coverings, aggressive testing, isolation, cleaning, etc.
Please rest assured the health and safety of our students, faculty, staff, and community remain Clemson’s #1 priority. We are also committed to providing the highest quality learning environment possible. We will abide by both of these principles as we plan for, and ultimately deliver fall semester 2021.
Thank you again for your continued engagement with Clemson University.
Sincerely,
Bob Jones
Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost
Chris Miller
Interim Vice President for Student Affairs and Dean of Students
John Griffin
Senior Associate Provost and Dean for Undergraduate Studies
John Lopes
Associate Provost and Dean for Graduate Studies
