(To all students) Notice about our policy on classes for the 2021 academic year (8 March Update)

We would like to inform you about the policy for classes in the 2021 academic year, as it currently stands. The content given here may be subject to change depending on the future situation. If further updates are made, we intend to communicate the latest information to you via the university’s website and other channels.

When holding classes in the 2021 academic year, as many classes as possible will be held face-to-face in order to maintain the benefits of in-person classes and a campus-based education, with limits imposed on the number of people in a classroom in order to avoid the “three Cs” (closed spaces, crowded places, and close-contact settings) as an infection-prevention measure. However, some classes, such as those for courses with a large number of students for whom it is difficult to allocate classrooms, will be held online.

In addition, students who are unable to participate in face-to-face classes on an ongoing basis due to unavoidable circumstances related to COVID-19, such as those who are unable to enter the country due to immigration restrictions, or those who have, or live with someone who has, a high risk of complications owing to an underlying health condition, shall be able to apply for special consideration for their studies.

Notes:

(1)	A capacity limit will be put in place for each classroom according to its characteristics in order to maintain a target physical distancing of around 1 meter between students when holding face-to-face classes. In addition, classes will be held with various measures to prevent infection in place, such as the completion of a “Record of the results of observation of your physical condition” by staff and students when coming to campus, the wearing of masks, hand-washing and sanitation, and the ventilation of rooms.
(2)	Details of the application procedure for special consideration for studies related to COVID-19 will be communicated separately via the university’s website, the CELS academic affairs information system, and other channels.
(3)	In order to limit the number of students taking each course to the capacity of the classroom, we intend to make many courses subject to online lottery.
(4)	In order to enable students to register for multiple courses without being restricted by the days or times at which they are offered, we intend to hold some online (on-demand) courses in the “Other day/ other time period” slot. However, CAP restrictions are in place.
(5)	For courses held online, a sixth period (19:45 – 21:30) shall be created exclusively for holding classes via live streaming, e.g. on Zoom, and we plan to hold some classes during this period (CAP restrictions are also in place for courses held during the sixth period).
(6)	Methods used to hold classes are subject to change, e.g. in response to a decision to stop face-to-face classes by the university’s Risk Management Office. These decisions are made taking into account the situation regarding the spread of COVID-19 within and beyond the university, such as the issuing by the government of a request to suspend classes.

Hitotsubashi University