Clarification and Guidelines for the Suspension of Classes due to the Outbreak of COVID-19

17 March, 2020

Effective March 13, 2020, all classes at The UWI Mona Campus were suspended. All teaching and learning activities (quizzes, assignments, exams, discussions, tutorials etc.) at all levels are, therefore, to be suspended until April 14th when classes resume in a remote and online or face-to-face mode.

Some students may have received notifications regarding assignments and group work activities from lecturers/tutors which should not have occurred. We apologize for any anxieties this may have caused.

A new schedule for assignments, quizzes and exams will be communicated with students when classes resume.

During the suspension period, academic staff will be uploading learning content to OurVle and other online platforms, in preparation for the resumption of teaching/learning on April 14, 2020. While students remain free to read/engage with the learning material and are encouraged to use the period wisely, there is no obligation to do so prior to April 14th.

The Mona Campus is mindful that there are students who are currently in the process of moving off-campus as well as students who have no access to internet facilities off-campus. The four-week suspension of classes is to help with our own transition to online platforms as well as to allow students time to put their own plans in place as we transition to the planned remote and online mode of teaching and learning.

For some courses for the purpose of preparation, test e-learning or remote teaching environments or activities may be required, and you may receive material/notifications regarding same. We have communicated to our academic staff to clearly identify any such ‘test environments’, so as not to alarm or cause confusion among our students. We also recognize that there are some learning scenarios that may prove more challenging than others to be ready in an online-mode, for example labs, which is currently being worked out.

We thank you for your patience and understanding in this matter and continue to encourage you to take all the necessary personal measures to keep safe; these include, frequent hand washing and social-distancing; as we continue to navigate this national public health emergency.