LSSU forced to close campus due to water infrastructure problems, plans remain to resume in-person learning in January
The switch to virtual learning at Lake Superior State University is due primarily to the infrastructure issues. School officials intend on keeping the current academic calendar intact, with students planning to return in January for the spring semester.
In November, two water infrastructure issues sprang up in two different buildings on the campus of Lake Superior State University causing administrators to close the campus for the remainder of the fall semester and the entirety of the winter semester, set to end January 8, 2021. While concerns over COVID-19 factored into the decision to extend the closure through the winter semester, the college is set to reopen for spring semester starting in January.
On November 9 the president of Lake Superior State University, Dr. Rodney S. Hanley, announced the issues with the water infrastructure in one academic and one residence building. It wasn't readily apparent when a solution to both problems would be completed. Due to the combination of timing, the repairs needed, and the COVID-19 pandemic, President Hanley made the call, "Given the totality of our current situation--that is, our proximity to the completion of the semester and the ongoing health and safety considerations related to COVID-19--we have made the difficult decision to transition to virtual delivery for the balance of the fall 2020 semester, including exams."
Fortunately, university administrators were able to make the switch to virtual learning without much trouble. When the initial shut down of campus happened in the spring, LSSU invested in additional laptops and software upgrades and provided additional instruction to professors on conducting online courses. The university also had established guidelines for students, faculty, and staff to follow, dubbed the Four Pillars of Laker Safety, which consist of social distancing, face coverings, sanitization, and personal responsibility. Current university pandemic data show a cumulative positivity rate of 2.73% which is within the state guidelines of level four containment.
In a release, the university emphasized that students and their families show an overwhelming preference for in-person learning. To that end, LSSU administrators had already planned to alter the usual academic calendar for the spring semester. The semester will begin on January 19, with spring break being the week prior. Along with the change in semester start dates, the move-in period will be staggered like it was in the fall, so that not all students are trying to move back at the same time. President Hanley points out that, "From the start of the university's COVID-19 response, the safety of our students, faculty, and staff has been our top priority. The decision to complete the fall semester in a virtual format, though difficult to have made, is representative of that same ongoing commitment. That said, I want to stress that this decision was due to unforeseen infrastructure challenges that will be fixed, not pandemic obstacles, which we proactively continue to monitor, address, and mitigate."