Alaska Pacific University is planning a return to primarily in-person instruction for the Summer and Fall 2021 terms. Online courses will still be available, as they were before the pandemic, and housing on-campus will be available. Registration for Fall 2021 courses opens March 17.
The decision was made in part by Alaska’s encouraging vaccination numbers, and the recent announcement that all residents 16 and older can now receive a vaccine. “The return to our regular operations would not be possible without the commitment of our APU community or the help of our medical partners,” said APU Acting President Hilton Hallock. “Although we halted in-person learning in March 2020, our campus has been open since the summer and we have not seen community spread of the COVID-19 virus. That’s a testament to our students, faculty, and staff, and their shared commitment to keeping each other safe while at APU.”
“APU students enjoy small class sizes and strong relationships with professors. I believe that’s helped us provide a strong academic experience during this pandemic, but we are obviously eager to return to our regular diverse instructional settings,” Hallock added.
The university remains committed to the health of its students and employees, as well as the residents of Anchorage. APU will continue to coordinate closely with guidelines from federal, state, and municipal health agencies. At this time, students, employees and visitors are expected to continue wearing masks and maintaining distance while on campus, and ID badges or appointments are needed to access campus buildings. All members of the APU community are strongly encouraged to get vaccinated before returning to work and the beginning of May courses. APU has begun to host small conferences again, with appropriate risk mitigation plans; however, due to anticipated gathering sizes, Spring Commencement on May 1 will remain a virtual event.
Given the uncertainty of the pandemic, APU will proceed with caution, flexibility, and a commitment to early communication if plans should change. APU’s Campus Reopening Plan is available to the public at www.AlaskaPacific.edu/coronavirus.
