The University of Windsor will continue with online learning until at least January of next year due to COVID-19.
Ontario's colleges and universities cancelled in-person classes due to the pandemic in March. The university held a virtual town hall to address its plans after Wednesday's announcement that in-person education and training can resume on a limited basis in July.
UWindsor's Provost and Vice-President Academic Douglas Kneale says the majority of post-secondary schools agree online courses should continue with very few exceptions.
"We [at UWindsor] are a community of 20,000 people on any given day. There is no way that you can socially distance 20,000 people safely or practically, so we think this is the right direction to go," says Kneale, who adds exceptions are made for accreditations and clinical certifications that can't be performed virtually.
He says tuition fees will remain at their current level.
"If students are taking their courses, they're completing their degrees, then the tuition fees associated with those educational credentials will still apply," added Kneale.
Executive Director of Campus Services Anna Kirby says the university has managed to ensure services have continued online; so fees will resume at the same level for now.
"Having said that, as committee has been formed and in the coming months to review all these fees to ensure they're still relevant and fair," she says.
The university is projecting more than $20-million in lost revenue in 2021 with international students unable to enroll due to travel restrictions.
According to a statement from St. Clair College, most lectures will continue to be delivered on-line in the fall but it plans to allow many hands-on labs, clinics and workshops to be delivered with proper measures in place.
The college did not address tuition and fees in the release.