[Geoldept] registration delay

[Susan DeBari]

Students,
We have word that fall registration may begin sometime next week, but still no certainties.

The issue is that the registrar is working very hard to upload new schedules and re-program ClassFinder based on classroom space needs (any F2F classes need to have classrooms where social distancing can be maintained) and on the modality of remote offerings (synchronous vs. non synchronous).

The reality is that many classes in the College of Science and Engineering will be offered remotely rather than Face to Face given the difficulty of being able to maintain safe distancing in existing labs and classrooms.
Western has to follow the Governor’s “Safe Start Washington” procedures; we operate in lock step with those state guidelines, and as such we cannot move forward too quickly back to normal operations.
That is true for Geology as well, although some of our core and upper division courses will be offering opportunities to come to campus for in-person experiences (that follow the Governor’s guidelines). Stay tuned for more information on this.

One thing to keep in mind as you consider your options for fall is that faculty at WWU, and especially the Geology Department, place a high priority on student-centered learning. That means that even if classes are offered only remotely, we all have had a lot more time to consider how to make remote learning more collaborative, engaging, and student focused. All of our Geology core courses have been taught remotely once now, and we have learned what works well and what doesn’t.

Please feel free to reach out to me if you have any questions.  We are doing our best in a really complicated set of circumstances.

Sue


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Susan DeBari, Ph.D., she/her/hers
Professor and Interim Chair, Geology Department, MS 9080
516 High Street
Western Washington University
Bellingham, WA 98225

Phone:  360-650-3588
https://cse.wwu.edu/geology/debari







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