Our plans for fall quarter 2020
Office of the Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost
Dear Bruin Community:
In our June fall planning message, we announced that we hoped to offer 15% to 20% of our fall courses in person or in a hybrid format, knowing that those plans could change based on the progression of the pandemic. With Los Angeles County experiencing a dramatic rise in COVID-19 infections and hospitalizations, we have found it necessary to adjust our plans to reduce the health risks to our campus community.
Following close consultation with public health authorities and as recommended by the UCLA COVID-19 Future Planning Task Force, we have developed the revised approach to fall term instruction outlined below. These plans remain contingent on state and county authorization to resume in-person instruction, and while we hope that we will not need to alter our plans further, it is possible that they could change given the evolving nature of the pandemic and shifting public health directives.
I recognize how challenging the past few months have been for so many in our community and am immensely grateful for the flexibility and resilience that you have shown throughout this time. These are qualities that I hope we Bruins can continue to draw on as we enter a truly unique academic year.
Fall Courses
UCLA is now planning to offer about 8% of fall term courses in person or using a hybrid model, with the remaining vast majority delivered remotely. Additionally, nearly all classes will shift to remote delivery after Thanksgiving — with limited exceptions to be approved by my office — to minimize public health risks associated with travel and a potential virus resurgence. Schools and academic departments are currently working to update their offerings to provide a range of remote courses and to ensure that all students have access to the classes they need to make progress toward their academic degrees. Class locations on student study lists and the schedule of classes will be updated by the end of this week to reflect these changes.
The few courses that will still be conducted on campus include certain lab, studio, and clinical courses, as well as other hands-on classes that would be effectively impossible to offer remotely. Students should confirm the status and availability of these courses with their school or departmental advisers. Even in the case of these in-person courses, we are working to offer remote alternatives wherever possible for students who are unable to come to campus.
For those students who have limited access to the necessary technologies for remote learning, we remain committed to providing you with the assistance you need. UCLA has several programs that can help with purchasing or borrowing laptops, wifi hotspots, and other devices. Please visit Bruin Resources and Tools for more information. We also encourage any student who may be facing financial hardship to reach out to our Economic Crisis Response Team for assistance.
Over the coming weeks, faculty members will be working to augment and further refine their technological and pedagogical approaches to remote teaching and course development. We realize that remote instruction cannot replace the rich experience of living and learning on campus. Yet the dedication and ingenuity of our students, faculty, and staff over the past several months have demonstrated that together we can create robust and rewarding remote learning environments that continue to deliver many of the best aspects of UCLA’s world-renowned education. This fall, the campus will also coordinate a wide variety of virtual activities and co-curricular programming so that students can deepen their connections to one another and to UCLA.
Housing and Dining
We plan to accommodate about 5,000 students in on-campus residence halls and 1,500 students in university-owned and operated undergraduate apartments, with priority going to those with the greatest need. Residence hall occupancy is limited to one student per bedroom, and undergraduate apartments are limited to two students per bedroom. Certain buildings will be set aside for isolation of students who test positive for COVID-19 or who were in close contact with someone who tested positive and are required to quarantine.
Housing offers continue to be made weekly as space becomes available. Students can cancel their housing contracts before September 16 without penalty.
Dining facilities will be open for carry-out meals with limited seating and other safety precautions in place.
Please visit UCLA Housing’s COVID-19 information page for more information and answers to frequently asked questions.
Health and Safety
For those who do join us on campus, protocols and procedures will be in place to help us maintain a healthier and safer learning environment. Infection control measures will include physical distancing, de-densifying classrooms and other campus spaces, and frequent cleaning of residence halls and other facilities.
In addition:
- Cloth face coverings are required indoors and outdoors for anyone on campus, per guidelines from local and state health authorities.
- Daily symptom checks are required for anyone coming to campus or living in on-campus housing. More information on the campus’ symptom monitoring protocol is available online for staff and faculty performing non-healthcare work on campus (PDF) and for students (PDF).
- Asymptomatic COVID-19 testing will be required for all students living in university housing or participating in on-site or hybrid classes, as well as for faculty, staff, or teaching assistants involved in teaching on site. Tests will be provided at no cost, and contact tracing protocols will be in place when anyone tests positive.
International Students
We recognize that international students have been severely affected by the COVID-19 crisis and new government policy directives. The UCLA Dashew Center for International Students and Scholars is working with campus partners to review recent directives and assess their impact, and will provide additional information to our international students this week. New and continuing international students should visit the Dashew Center’s COVID-19 updates page for the latest information and answers to frequently asked questions.
The Way Forward
I know this is not the fall term any of us had hoped for and I understand that this news will be disappointing to many. However, these changes are necessary so that we can minimize the spread of COVID-19 while also delivering the quality education that is a hallmark of UCLA.
The volatility of the pandemic has challenged us in ways we could not have imagined. I am deeply grateful for all you have done and will continue to do to ensure that UCLA’s mission of outstanding education, research, and service endures.
We will continue to update the community as news about fall scheduling, housing, and other campus matters becomes available. Please visit UCLA’s COVID-19 resources page for the latest information on the pandemic and Bruins Safe Online for campus safety protocols and guidelines. Above all else, be well and take good care.
Sincerely,
Emily A. Carter
Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost
