Saint Mary’s University President Dr. Robert Summerby-Murray says that after extensive consultations, Saint Mary’s University will transition to online course delivery for all courses and programs this fall.  

“The health and safety of our students, faculty, and staff is paramount,” said Dr. Summerby-Murray. “For that reason, we are announcing our intention to move our courses fully online. Our decision ensures that all Saint Mary’s students, can start or continue their studies confidently and without interruption, no matter where they are in the world.” 

Dr. Summerby-Murray said the university is focused on continually improving its online delivery to ensure academic quality, an excellent student experience and to create opportunities for student and community engagement.  

“Saint Mary’s prides itself on creating memorable student experiences and connecting with the greater community,” said Dr. Summerby-Murray. “We are investing in enhanced services for faculty, staff, and students to ensure we can continue to grow and learn together.”  

The university is focused on providing supports to those students who need it most by:  

• Providing more than $1.5 million in additional student financial support for the upcoming year 
• Launching Jump Start 2020, which includes online meetings and webinars where students will meet instructors, academic staff and fellow students before the fall semester begins 
• Working closely with the Saint Mary’s University Students’ Association to maintain a close connection and understanding of student needs  
• Helping students understand the external sources of funding available to them 

“We remain committed to accessibility and equity as we move toward the fall term,” said Dr. Summerby-Murray. “We believe that we have put in place the resources to help every student succeed.”  

While all academic courses and programs will be offered online, the university will support special opportunities wherever possible for in-person on-campus participation in enriched learning and student life activities in a safe and responsibly managed environment. 

The university will host a series of town hall discussions with multiple groups to ensure members of the community can have input as the plans for the fall continue to be developed and refined.  

“Saint Mary’s University is known as a strong community, with exceptional local and global connections,” said Dr. Summerby-Murray. “From these challenging times, we will emerge even stronger and with a renewed sense of our purpose and mission.”  

Source: Release

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