Still experiential. Still personalized. Still FLC.
Just as we protect your health, we will protect your academic experience. The safety modifications we’ve made to instruction will not hinder your studies, but will support your goals for an engaging and experiential education at FLC. We remain true to our equity goals and addressing the digital divide as we continue to navigate our new circumstances.
Updated July 30, 2020
Fall 2020 instruction started one week early on August 24 and will conclude on November 25. Tuition and other expenses are not pro-rated as the number of days of instruction are not reduced for the fall term.
Our in-person classes will meet our new physical distancing requirements and use larger classrooms or outdoor spaces, such as tents. You and your instructors will wear masks at all times and we are using strict classroom cleaning protocols. Some classes may use hybrid elements: they may meet in-person certain days of the week and virtually other days of the week, but there will be required in-person components.
These classes will be taught 100% virtually, with lots of interactive components to keep you engaged. Most will not meet at specific times, so they will work around your schedule; those that will incorporate mandatory Zoom meetings will have a day and time listed in WebOpus. We are offering over 100 classes completely online, which is more than 12% of our course offerings. Get more info about online-only classes or search in WebOpus for online classes.
These courses will be taught in-person, but offer you remote access if you really need to take courses virtually. Should you sign up for a remote access seat, you will Zoom into the course meetings and use Canvas to access additional content. Based on professors’ teaching plans, there may be specialized content and assignments for those of you taking the courses remotely. These classes are not necessarily designed for online delivery, and you will need to be flexible as you learn how your remote access will be managed. These courses aren’t recommended for new students, but could be a solution for some. We are offering over 250 classes with remote access options. There's no special registration required--register as you would for any other course. See more about online classes or use the "advanced search" in WebOpus to see which classes offer a remote access option.
*You might hear the term “Hyflex” used to describe classes that allow remote learning. These courses have set meeting times and allow you to attend in person or through Zoom and/or Canvas. These courses are designed so you can move back and forth between in-person and online/remote. Classes using a hyflex format are noted in the Notes section of WebOpus.
Our goal is to provide the same FLC classroom experience this coming fall regardless of the delivery methods–our faculty are dedicated to our your success, and continue to revise and update their courses for this fall. Cleaning supplies will be available in all of our classrooms, labs, studios and study spaces across campus.
In-person courses will use Canvas and other software to supplement the academic experience, keep students connected, and maintain learning if/when classroom attendance is not possible. Faculty are currently working to build out offerings that will capture the FLC experience in a virtual classroom, including hybrid, hyflex, and split-section courses. Additionally, we are working to create remote access options for students.
Additionally, some courses will be available completely online for students who are unable to return to campus in the Fall. We continue to grow our list of online courses from general education through upper division courses. Find our more about how you can create an online-only schedule for Fall 2020.
Faculty unable to teach in person will be using alternative teaching methods, including online through Canvas and/or Zoom.
Courses will be graded in standard letter grading.
Attendance policies are determined by the individual faculty member teaching the course, but will be modified according to the course’s delivery structure. Faculty are encouraged to remain flexible while taking into consideration COVID-19 accommodations.
Students may make changes to their course schedule until Tuesday, September 8 (Census date), although dropping below full-time after classes begin may result in non-refundable charges. We advise students to read syllabi carefully and talk with their professors about course expectations during the first week of class.
Right now our academic support services across campus are adapting their offices, spaces and operating procedures to make sure that we can still provide the exceptional level of support and personalized attention that you’ve come to expect at Fort Lewis College.
Tutoring, the Writing Center, The Math Assistance Center and our Peer Educators will be making much of their support available online – making use of Canvas and Zoom meetings to connect directly with students, while also modifying in-person options to safely accommodate students.
Disability Services will be available to students and reasonable accommodations will be provided regardless of the mode of delivery for a particular class.
Our professors will also remain a great contact for students with questions about their specific courses and are often the first line of defense in supporting our students in their academic success.
Your last day of in-person classes is on Tuesday, November 24. On Wednesday, November 25, you'll have classes online--this will be the last day of classes for the semester.
Monday, November 30 is a review day for you to prepare for online final exams, which begin on Tuesday, December 1.
All final exams will be online. Please plan accordingly. Residence halls will remain open until December 5 to facilitate access to the internet. Talk with your instructors if you foresee any barriers to completing coursework and final exams online after Fall Break.
Technology access
In-person classes will use online components more than they have in the past, and all final exams will be online. Please make the necessary arrangements to have access to the internet during finals week. We also recommend creating a backup plan in the event of another Coronavirus outbreak.
We are doing everything in our power to build equity and inclusion into the education we deliver. To that end, you may rent a laptop and internet wifi hotspot at very modest rates for the duration of the semester, individually or as a “technology bundle.” Additionally, since you’ll need the Fort Lewis College app for symptom tracking on campus, we have wifi-only smartphones available for loan, free of charge, if you don’t have your own smartphone to run the app.
Get your tech
Do you have questions? We're more than happy to address them.
covid19-info@fortlewis.edu 970-247-7301
admission@fortlewis.edu 970-247-7184