Dear Students,
We know you have lots of questions about plans for Fall 2020 and want to ensure you are informed about everything we are doing to prepare for the upcoming semester. For those of you returning to campus we can’t wait to have you back! To our new students we are so excited to welcome you to IU South Bend! Our priorities for the coming year are simple: your health and safety, and making sure you can continue to receive a quality IU education.
Keeping You Healthy
Your health and safety is our number one priority. In order to keep the IU community safe, all students will need to review and sign the Student Commitment Form before returning to campus. Faculty and staff will be required to sign a similar agreement as well. The Student Commitment Form ensures students are informed of and commit to safety practices as part of our efforts to keep you healthy.
A variety of measures are being put in place to help ensure your health and safety when returning to campus. Among these are providing and requiring cloth face coverings for all students, faculty, staff, and visitors, enacting rigorous cleaning procedures, and reducing the number of people on campus at one time. Signage will inform about public health guidance and any restrictions in place. Additionally, all IU students, faculty and staff will have access to a virtual symptom checker, virtual screening, and COVID-19 testing if needed.
The Academic Calendar for 2020-21
IU South Bend will begin Fall semester on Aug. 24 as planned and complete the 16-week semester on Dec. 20. Until Nov. 20, classes may be in-person or online. Nov. 30 through the end of the semester, classes will be online only. Spring semester begins Jan. 19 and ends May 9 and will offer a mix of in-person and online course options, with the first three weeks of the Spring semester being online only. In addition to 16-week course offerings, some courses may be offered for 13 weeks or 8 weeks.
How Courses Will Be Taught
Enrollment in fully-online programs and online courses where students log on to pre-recorded lectures on their own time (100% asynchronous courses) will be assessed the regular $50/credit distance education fee to support the unique technology and student services required. You can learn more about possible course formats and associated fees at Fall 2020 IU South Bend FAQs under How will fall classes be held? Some courses may also require additional course-specific fees that you can learn about here.
Unlike this past Spring, online courses for the 2020-2021 academic year will be intentionally developed from the start as an online course. Faculty are putting a great deal of time and effort this summer in determining the best format for their classes and developing quality course content and instructional practices.
The Schedule of Classes will be updated by July 15 with information on course delivery method, location, length, and time. If you have already registered, you can check your Student Center after July 15 to see any changes to your courses. If you want to change your schedule, you can do so through drop and add – there is no change in process, unless you need to gain permission to certain classes.
We’re Here for You
While faculty are preparing for your courses, our staff have been working hard on plans to serve you. Student services will continue to support you this Fall, whether it be in-person or online. Additionally, campus buildings will be open and ready for your return this Fall, including the Student Activities Center. River Crossing Campus Housing is also open for Fall 2020!
Please visit Fall 2020 IU South Bend for more information and continued updates. We also encourage you to submit questions about Fall 2020 here. We want to hear from you, to understand your questions and concerns, and to make sure we are communicating well with you. You are our mission and providing a safe and exceptional education to you is our priority.
With Hoosier Spirit and Titan Pride,
Susan Elrod, PhD
Chancellor