Clark College announced that it would continue offering most of its classes only in online formats through the 2020 summer and fall terms.

“This was not an easy decision,” wrote Interim President Sandra Fowler-Hill in an email to students on April 24. “We all want to be optimistic that we will be able to return to classes face-to-face. But we have listened closely to the CDC and Public Health’s caution that our ‘new normal’ will depend on what the virus does. There may be recurrent restrictions on large gatherings by the Governor. We are a large institution with thousands of students and more than 1,000 employees. We must consider our whole community’s health and safety first and foremost.”

Fowler-Hill added that it was important to make the decision in a timely fashion, so that students could have time to prepare for the prospect of two more terms of remote learning, and faculty could have sufficient time to thoughtfully adapt their courses for distance teaching.

The college has also moved its registration dates for summer and fall terms in order to give faculty, staff, and students the time they need to adjust their plans.

The college is working with state authorities to get guidance on options that would allow some classes to run in-person labs during summer and fall terms, using appropriate social distancing techniques.

The college is also waiting for additional guidance from the state and from public health authorities before announcing any plans to shift from fully remote operations to partially remote.

Fowler-Hill communicated the college’s decision to employees in an email update. “I know this is hard news to absorb,” she wrote. “We miss our campus. We miss our students. We miss interacting face-to-face with each other. By making this decision now, we will have ample time to improve our processes to best support our students so they can learn online, remotely, successfully, and safely.”