Dear Student,
We recognize that you have been waiting for detailed information about the learning experience you can expect at Lehigh during the fall term. We are writing today to follow up on the recent university memo, to update you on our current planning, and to alert you to watch for several key developments in the coming days.
Each course will be identified in Banner as one of three major types of courses. Most courses will be either hybrid or fully remote -- that is, they will be accessible to students regardless of location. Students can expect that classes in the fall semester will be “blended,” which means classes will include both an online asynchronous component (such as recorded lectures and other online learning activities) and a synchronous component, where they can interact with their instructor and classmates. A limited number of courses will be available to on-campus students only.
Because of the need to move courses to larger classrooms, RAS must modify the published days/times of certain courses. We are expanding the instructional day into the late afternoon (traditionally left unscheduled for non-academic activities) to accommodate these changes, and to accommodate synchronous instruction across time zones.
Online registration for first-year students will open on July 27 through July 29. First-year students in special programs will begin to register on Monday, to be followed by other first-year students throughout the week.
Returning students have already had an opportunity to register for courses, but they will want to review the new schedule and determine whether they should adjust their schedule. No later than the week of August 3, we will ask returning students to review their schedules, paying particular attention to the new course modalities. Students should review the revised schedule, and they may wish to modify their schedule if the modality (using the definitions listed above) or meeting pattern is changed. All students will have an opportunity to make final changes to their schedules before classes begin. Students should work with advisors in their colleges before making any significant changes, so that they can enroll in courses that will allow them to continue their academic progress and success.
RAS is working to retain previously scheduled meeting patterns (time/days) if at all possible--but we recognize that we cannot do this for all courses. Regrettably, we cannot guarantee that students will be able to retain a seat in every course that is taught at a new time.
In the coming days, RAS will update our FAQ page and will send students specific guidance on how to recognize the differences in the modes of instruction. It should be noted that guidance for international students continues to be made available from the Office of International Students and Scholars.
We look forward to sharing additional information about the new semester -- please watch for our messages!
Sincerely,
Registration & Academic Services Team