The hallmarks of a Florida Poly education are small class size, face-to-face instruction, access to professors, and strong student support services.
Classes are offered in several instructional formats to maximize the use of the campus for students while minimizing the possibility of a COVID-19 outbreak.
Courses are offered in an on-campus environment that includes key instructional format designs. We are utilizing technology to support the student learning experience, but the core learning that happens at a STEM university needs to include an engaged, face-to-face experience.
The primary instructional formats that will be used are:
The student experience at Florida Poly must be rich in interactions between faculty and students and within student peer groups. To promote this experience, we have set expectations for Spring 2021 attendance to provide students with on-campus access to learning and to support strong student engagement in academics and campus life.
Florida Poly has established a minimum recommended standard for computing, and this standard is being made available so all students can appropriately plan for the Spring 2021 semester.
A portion of Federal CARES Act funding will be used to help students acquire the computing tools that they need to be successful at Florida Poly.
The Technology Services Help Desk lends various equipment for student usage, including laptops, webcams, and hotspots. Lending expectations have been adjusted to all long-term rental for students in need.
Florida Poly courses are held in the Innovation, Science, and Technology Building and every classroom is equipped to deliver all instructional modalities.
To manage the population inside buildings, we have established a system in place that limits the number of students in the classroom to provide for physical distancing, and limits the population in the building so that overall building population allows students to be in the building and maintain social distance.
The buildings are also well equipped to provide frequent fresh air changes; careful consideration on how to manage air flow in the classrooms when populated has been investigated. The University is also limiting the amount of furniture in each classroom to ensure appropriate physical distancing.
Academic Support Services are available to students both on campus and virtually. The Student Success Center offers student advising and coaching appointments both face-to-face and through virtual meetings. Students can schedule a meeting in the medium they are most comfortable with. Tutoring services are also available both on campus and virtually. Like the Academic Success Center, tutoring will allow students to meet with a tutor in the medium they are most comfortable with.
The University has modified its Spring 2021 Academic Calendar.
Adjustments are reflected in the following table:
Spring 2021: First Day of Class | Jan. 11, 2021 |
Spring 2021: Breaks (no classes) |
Jan. 18, 2021: Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday March 10, 2021: Spring Day Break March 26, 2021: Spring Day Break |
Spring 2021: Last Day of Classes | April 23, 2021 |
Spring 2021: Reading Days | April 24 and 26, 2021 |
Spring 2021: Final Exams | April 27-May 1, 2021 |
Course schedules may undergo some modification as the University completes the reassignment
of instructional modalities and firms up building healthy population efforts. However,
there are currently no plans to adjust the scheduled times for courses.
Students who are unable to participate in a campus integrated learning experience will apply for reasonable accommodations through the Office of Disability Services.