Montgomery College Classes To Remain Virtual Through The Fall

SILVER SPRING, MD — Montgomery College will continue to hold a majority of its classes online through the fall semester, the institution announced Thursday.

In a message to students and staff, President DeRionne P. Pollard said there was too much uncertainty surrounding COVID-19 and that the decision had to be made now.

"Because of the high level of uncertainty surrounding multiple health metrics, the College plans to start the fall semester with classes in remote format (our current status) and distance learning format," she wrote. "Because of the complexity of class scheduling, student registration, and financial aid processing, and assignment of faculty to thousands of class sections, the College must make operational decisions earlier than some other institutions."

While most fall semester classes will be held remotely, Pollard said that some hands-on learning experiences and lab courses will be held face-to-face.

"The format in which a class begins — remote, face-to-face, or distance learning — will remain constant throughout the fall semester," she wrote. "If conditions improve, a class will not transition from one format to another in the middle of the semester, in order to minimize disruption. Should the metrics improve substantially, some additional fall classes, beginning in the second half of the fall semester (that is, October 27) may be offered face-to-face."

Classes that rely mostly on face-to-face instruction will be given priority. If health conditions worsen, however, any face-to-face instruction may become remote.