CONWAY, Ark. (July 29, 2020) – The Hendrix College Board of
Trustees voted today to adjust fall opening plans and begin the semester
remotely in order to keep students, faculty, and staff safe in the wake of
dramatic increases in COVID-19 cases.
“This
was an extremely difficult decision to make, and it is deeply disappointing to
us all,” said Hendrix President Ellis Arnold. “Given the current situation and the primarily
residential nature of our community, beginning the semester remotely is the
most responsible position we can take in order to protect the health, safety
and well-being of our students, faculty, and staff.”
Hendrix
will continue to monitor COVID-19 conditions and, if the trends change, return
to in-person classes later this fall.
“We
are hopeful virus trends will improve so that we can welcome students back to
campus safely and resume in-person instruction later this fall,” Arnold said,
adding that the College continues to plan for an in-person and on-campus Spring
2021 semester.
“The Board of Trustees is grateful to Hendrix faculty and
staff, as well as campus leaders and community partners, for developing a
strategic reopening plan to resume in-person classes safely this fall,” said
Board of Trustees Chair Jo Ann Biggs, a 1980 Hendrix graduate. “The current
circumstances require us to re-examine our intentions to begin the semester in
person. The health, safety, and well-being of the Hendrix community is, and
must continue to be, our highest priority. We look forward to welcoming students
back to the Hendrix campus when conditions improve.”
Hendrix faculty and Fall 2020 Steering Committee members have
worked since May to prepare for in-person classes and to ensure a safe return
to campus. In early June, Hendrix faculty approved an adjustment to the fall
calendar, starting the semester earlier and completing in-person classes before
Thanksgiving break, to reduce health and safety risks. This summer, the College
joined neighboring institutions of higher education in Conway and Conway Regional
Health System to form a testing and health services partnership to help fulfill
its plans for in-person teaching and learning and campus life.
“While
we are confident in our campus safety plans and our partners in the community,
we have serious concerns, based on public health data and predictive models,
about the current trajectory of the virus in central Arkansas and across the
state, as well as increases in infections in areas from which many of our
out-of-state students come,” Arnold said.
In Arkansas, average daily cases have significantly increased since
mid-June. Late last week, the state recorded the two highest single-day numbers
of community cases since the pandemic began, and the positivity rate of
infection is now higher than a month ago.
Hendrix canceled in-person classes on March 13 and began
remote classes on March 30 after Spring Break. Faculty have since invested significant time
and effort exploring effective ways to engage students remotely and prepare
flexible and hybrid courses. Many professors have participated in summer
teaching workshops on flexible, hybrid, and remote pedagogy.
“Hendrix
faculty are committed to challenging and inspiring students,” said Hendrix
Provost Dr. Terri Bonebright. “That commitment doesn’t change whether they are
teaching remotely or in person.”
“Our faculty, staff, students, and families have shown an
incredible amount of patience, perseverance, and commitment to Hendrix,” said
Arnold. “Hendrix has historically provided a residential campus-centered
teaching and learning experience, and I am confident that our community will
emerge from this extraordinary moment stronger, with an even greater commitment
to the standards and values that have made this institution a leading national
liberal arts college for more than a century.”
About Hendrix College
A
private liberal arts college in Conway, Arkansas, Hendrix College consistently
earns recognition as one of the country’s leading liberal arts institutions,
and is featured in Colleges That Change Lives: 40 Schools That Will Change
the Way You Think About Colleges. Its academic quality and rigor,
innovation, and value have established Hendrix as a fixture in numerous college
guides, lists, and rankings. Founded in 1876, Hendrix has been affiliated with
the United Methodist Church since 1884. To learn more, visit www.hendrix.edu.