American University administrators are encouraging faculty to hold remote instruction for classes on the Monday and Tuesday before Thanksgiving, the University announced in an email to the AU community on Thursday.
Provost Peter Starr said online classes will provide students more time to travel home while ensuring classes can continue to meet.
“Every year, questions arise as to how best to ensure that our classes remain on track while simultaneously addressing student needs during Thanksgiving week, including meeting family commitments, having a change to recharge before the end of the semester, and benefiting from lower travel costs,” Starr said.
Starr said while the administration understands some classes such as art courses and science labs cannot be done through virtual instruction, students can expect a majority of classes to be held online.
“Our experience with online education during the pandemic points to a solution to this challenge, for this academic year and in years to come,” he said.
The recommendation is for undergraduate and graduate students, but excludes classes in the Washington College of Law and programs with specific calendars.
Starr encouraged faculty to tell students about the plan for the Monday, Nov. 21 and Tuesday, Nov. 22 classes as soon as possible.
While Monday classes are to meet at normal times, classes that normally meet on Fridays will meet on Nov. 22, in accordance with the academic calendar.
As the University has questioned in years past about how to balance Thanksgiving break with student’s needs, online classes can provide a solution for “years and years to come.”
“This change will allow us to meet our critical learning outcomes while providing our students and families with greater flexibility,” Starr said.
