The University of Washington will move more than 90% of classes online this fall.
UW President Ana Mari Cauce announced the latest guidelines in a letter to students Thursday. A majority of classes will be remote with the exception of instruction that cannot take place virtually. Cauce said these are likely the “final plans” for fall quarter, though she cautioned that guidance could change depending on the trajectory of the pandemic.
GeekWire previously reported last month that 80% of classes would shift online due to the pandemic.
In-person classes will be held with safety measures and physical distancing. Students are allowed to live on campus but must wear face masks. UW is offering access to COVID-19 tests to those experiencing symptoms.
“While we are all disappointed that the continued spread of the virus has limited our ability to safely provide more in-person teaching, we continue to be excited about the learning and discovery in store for our academic community,” Cauce wrote. “Our faculty, teaching assistants and academic support staff have been engaged in developing innovative and creative approaches to online learning. We look forward to a meaningful and academically-rich autumn, in which we all do our part to protect our community’s health and safety.”
COVID-19 cases last month rose in Washington state and King County, where the UW is located. More than 60,000 people across the state have tested positive for the virus, including more than 16,000 in King County.
The UW has had 265 COVID-19 cases at its Seattle campus, including 154 around Greek Row.
In June, Washington state issued new safety guidelines for institutions of higher education as they prepare to re-open for the fall term. Other institutions around Seattle including the University of Puget Sound and Seattle University are shifting most coursework online this fall.
Washington Gov. Jay Inslee on Wednesday urged schools to pursue remote learning, advising that it would be unsafe for students to return to the classroom across most of the state, including schools within local tech hubs such as Seattle, Bellevue and Redmond. Nationwide, school districts in cities including Los Angeles, Miami and Chicago are teaching online.
The shift online could be a financial hit for the UW and other schools. It costs money to transition classes online, as the UW did for 98% of its courses last term. And colleges lose money when students aren’t paying for room and board. The University of Michigan estimates it could lose up to $1 billion by the end of the year, NPR reported. Financial duress led Stanford to cancel 11 varsity sports programs after this year.
The Trump administration threatened to take away visas from international students if they did not attend some university classes in person, but reversed course on that policy last month.
