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GRCC to stay online for second summer session; making plans for Fall 2020

Posted at 8:57 AM, May 20, 2020
and last updated 2020-05-20 08:57:03-04

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — The second summer session of classes at Grand Rapids Community College, which begin June 30, will be online. When the plan for putting the first summer session online was announced, it was an open question what would happen deeper into the summer.

The school continues to explore options for the Fall 2020 semester.

“We are by no means out from under this crisis yet,” said GRCC President Dr. Bill Pink said in a release. “And we may never go back to exactly the way we were.” But Pink assured the school would come back stronger, nimbler and more flexible.

A task force led by Provost Brian Knetl and VP for Finance and Administration Lisa Freiburger has been developing a strategy to incorporate learning while maintaining safety.

Presently, the group is looking at whether certain classes would be better taught on campus or online. For instance, some classes in the School of Workforce Development and Job Training programs will be offered on-campus.

“As we move into the fall, we will continue to find innovative and creative ways to deliver quality instruction in a variety of formats,” Pink said.

The school is also looking at what support services can be offered to students online. GRCC already offers more and more textbooks free through open educational resources.