Renovations are nearing completion at the U of S campus in downtown Prince Albert. (Michael Joel-Hansen/paNOW Staff)

By Glenn Hicks

on campus

U of S outlines modified approach to P.A. fall semester

Jun 25, 2020 | 8:00 AM

It appears most students will have to wait until at least the new calendar year to enjoy the physical reality of the new, single University of Saskatchewan campus in Prince Albert’s downtown. However, the institution says its modified offerings for students — brought about because of the COVID-19 restrictions — will not compromise learning opportunities.

Patti McDougall, the vice-provost of teaching, learning and student experience, told paNOW there will be no face-to-face lectures at the new campus in the fall, in line with what’s happening at their other provincial campuses, but they’re confident in their increased focus on online and virtual tuition.

“There will be no reason why anyone starting out would be held back from following the program that they really had their heart set on,” McDougall explained, highlighting how initial study in arts and health sciences are a gateway opportunity to their full programs.

While lectures have been shelved for the time being, McDougall did make it clear limited in-person practical tuition would still be happening for programs like nursing and dentistry, subject to Ministry of Health approval. The new dental clinic at the P.A. campus, which will offer training to fourth year students, has been constructed in accordance with the stricter health guidelines because of COVID-19. She added important lab work that factors into many areas of study will be available virtually.

In the meantime, McDougall explained it won’t only be students who will have to give walking the corridors of the new site a miss in the short term.

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“Even from a staff perspective, we’ll be following recommendations that work that can be done remotely should be done remotely,” she said. “There will be activity for sure, but it won’t be the levels of vibrancy that you might see when we’re fully open and allow people back in.”

The site will have the sort of social distancing signage and floor markings that have become a common theme across other buildings and businesses. Renovations to what was the forestry building on Central Avenua are nearing completion and the pandemic did not cause any significant delays to the work.

As for how many students are likely to sign up for classes for the 2020-21 academic year, McDougall said it would be another two weeks before they could answer that as registration wraps up at the end of this month. But she said they were “happily surprised to see students registering and taking up their spots.”

“When it comes to our health science programs, we know those spots are highly sought after and so when students are accepted into those programs they’re motivated to take these spots.”

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glenn.hicks@jpbg.ca

On Twitter:@princealbertnow