While no determination has been made Fort Hays State University is preparing for the possibility of shifting courses online as concern over COVID-19 continues to grow.
With universities in Kansas shifting courses online as concern over the outbreak of COVID-19 continues to grow, Fort Hays State University is preparing for the possibility as well. But as of Thursday, officials had made no determination.
The University of Kansas, Kansas State University, Emporia State University and Newman University — among others — have all made arrangements to extend their respective spring breaks or shift courses online in an effort to mitigate the risk to students and faculty.
"At this point, classes will continue until the FHSU campus’ spring break, March 23-27, and resume after spring break," said FHSU Provost Jill Arensdorf. "We have not made any determination otherwise."
FHSU had already shifted instruction entirely online in their partner schools in China.
"FHSU had to shift our courses that are typically deployed face-to-face in China to being delivered fully online over the past two months," Arensdorf said. "This was a huge shift for our students, faculty and staff, but the FHSU community has been incredible in this transition."
With significant online enrollment at FHSU domestically, the university can also tap into those resources to ease the transition, if deemed necessary at the Hays campus.
"FHSU has been offering quality, robust online courses for many years. In the event that we had to shift our offerings this or any other semester, online courses would certainly be part of our solution," Arensdorf said. "We know that there are other courses that might be challenging to move online, so plans are being developed for those courses."
Currently, FHSU is working with area groups to monitor the situation.
"FHSU has a Critical Incident Policy Group that has been meeting to solidify plans should we need to change our routine in Hays on the campus," Arensdorf said.
The group is monitoring all aspects of COVID-19 while collaborating and communicating with the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, Hays Medical Center, the FHSU student health center and the Ellis County Health Department and how FHSU will continue to respond, Arensdorf said.