article> Leuven Life
KU Leuven shifting towards code red until Christmas
KUL rector announced by email that the university will strive towards code red until the Christmas break. The first year bachelor programs will however stay in code orange along with other exceptions.
Originally written in Dutch for Veto by Tijs Keukeleire
Translated by Alon Nudler
Edited and adapted for The Voice by Gwynne van Kaauwen (Section Editor)
Originally published on 26 October 2020
Sels does not want this to be regarded as an official shift to code red. He explains in the email sent to students and staff that this is rather “a change in the current rules which mirrors the key features of code red”. He calls upon all professors to move any courses online which can be taught in this way without significantly impacting the learning experience.
These new changes will come into effect on Tuesday November 3rd, but the university expects a transition period until November 9th.
Exceptions
All ‘phase one’ courses will be taught in code orange and as planned so will the practicals and laboratories, which can happen at a 1:1 capacity.
Additionally, ‘essential face-to-face education’ will also remain at code orange. Such courses are defined as those which, if taught online, will either result in significant loss of educational value, could lead to graduation requirements not being met on time or would lead to the course needing significant re-working. Professors will update their students on the specifics for their courses in the coming days.
Due to these changes a large number of lecture halls will become vacant. Sels has indicated that classes previously taught in smaller halls and that will continue on-campus will be moved after November 3rd. Finally, Sels encourages professors to maintain a sense of direct contact with their students, through the use of live-streamed lectures and the ‘Blackboard Collaborate’.
We will bring you more of the story as it unfolds.
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