University of Hawaii will stay mostly online in spring semester

The University of Hawaii’s 10 campuses will conduct most of their classes online in the spring semester as they have done this fall due to the coronavirus, UH President David Lassner announced today.

“I know we all yearn to return to pre-pandemic life, but at this point, we must prioritize the health and well-being of our students, faculty, staff and the communities in which we live and work,” Lassner wrote in an email to the university community. “We are committed to help every UH student stay on track, safely, for on-time graduation.”

This semester, about 85% of courses in the UH system are being conducted remotely; 10% combine remote and in-person instruction; and 5% are fully in-person. The last category includes labs, clinics, workshops and studios.

Staff and students who come to campus must use a daily health screen app, as well as wear face coverings and practice physical distancing.

“The entire UH community has done an amazing job in behaving safely, and as a result, we have not experienced the kinds of outbreaks that have occurred at colleges and universities around the country,” Lassner wrote.

The spring semester starts on Jan. 11. Registration is underway for continuing students, followed by incoming students starting Nov. 30.

“Especially with recent news of successes in COVID-19 vaccine development, I think we are all looking forward to better times ahead in 2021,” Lassner said. “But we are not yet all vaccinated, and while Hawaii has the best numbers in the country as of this writing, the pandemic is still raging across the U.S. And even in Hawaii, we do not have COVID-19 under control.”