Laurentian University to offer courses on-campus this fall, as well as online

Northern reaction to LU's provincial bailout The provincial government announced millions of dollars in new aid for financially insolvent Laurentian University on Thursday.

Sudbury — Laurentian University is planning a return to in-person learning this fall, the school announced Tuesday.

Courses will also be offered online, Laurentian said, and plans will change according to conditions.

“Throughout the pandemic, we have placed the utmost importance on the safety of our community," Dr. Robert Haché, president and vice-chancellor, said in a news release.

"We appreciate that our students want to be learning on campus and we look forward to making this happen in a safe and controlled environment.”

The university will work collaboratively with faculty, students, and staff to provide for the return of students, the release said, as well as the safe delivery of as many classes as possible on campus.

"The plan factors in the significance of the in-person student experience, the requirements related to hands-on learning, and additional measures to safely deliver fall 2021 courses on campus, in consultation with public health authorities," the release said.

"Further, the university must take into account all potential scenarios for September 2021, while working with our local public health authorities."

Laurentian is in the midst of a difficult restructuring process, after seeking creditor protection under the Companies' Creditor Arrangement Act in February. Despite slashing 39 per cent of its programs, LU said enrolment for the spring semester is similar to past years.

“We understand that the past year has been very difficult on our students and we want to do everything we can to improve their experience for fall 2021," Haché said.

"Their university experience has been significantly impacted by the pandemic and we want to support them in every way possible in their return to campus. We are looking forward to returning to campus.”

The fall semester takes place from September 2021 to December 2021.

"Laurentian University has been a leader in responding to the COVID-19 pandemic and was the first public university in Canada to recognize the severity of the pandemic, suspending in-person classes in March, 2020," the release said. "We will continue to lead in our return-to-campus planning."