Fall 2021 Semester Announcement: Full Schedule Ahead

St. Ambrose University is making plans for a return to "responsible normalcy" for the fall start to the 2021-22 academic year, which will begin on Monday, August 23.

This means offering students a full schedule of face-to-face classes and a normal schedule of curricular and extra-curricular activities.

"We are basing these plans on the growing availability of vaccines and positive public-health trends," Sister Joan Lescinski, CSJ, PhD, president of the university, said in a statement released today to students, faculty and staff. "Of course, among the many lessons we have learned through the past year is the need for careful preparations and readiness to adapt as circumstances warrant. These contingencies are part of our 2021-2022 planning process, too."

St. Ambrose has been open throughout most of the 2020-2021 academic year but with nearly all courses offered as a hybrid combination of in-class and online learning. This was necessary to accommodate social distancing and other safety protocols recommended by public health experts to limit the spread of the COVID-19 virus.

As the rate of infections and hospitalizations have declined in the State of Iowa over the past several weeks, and with more than 75 percent of Americans projected to be vaccinated by the end of May, university leaders have begun making plans to offer the more standard academic and campus experience students and their parents both have said they desire.

"We have learned many lessons living and working through a year of historic, pandemic-related challenges. One thing we have been especially gratified to rediscover is how our students truly want and value a full St. Ambrose University education and campus experience," Sister Joan said. "Students want to interact with faculty members and classmates face-to-face, to fully partake in extracurricular activities, and to be immersed in the invigorating growth and self-discovery that is the best part of what St. Ambrose has to offer."