Students, Staff, and Faculty,
Looking at the next year’s academic calendar, we want to let students, staff, and faculty know that the Educational Leadership Committee (ELC) has voted to return to in-person only intensives for the Residential Focus Sessions (RFS) and the full course (five day) intensives. This change begins in September 2022.
We anticipate this is good news for some people and concerning for others. There are several reasons for this decision. First, we wanted to make a decision now so people can begin planning for next year. We know that the fluidity of the past two years has made life at Luther hard, even as we valued flexibility and caring for this community’s broad range of personal needs. It is now time to regain some stability in our primary work of teaching and learning, and this is one step in that direction.
Second, the curricular design of our M.A. and M.Div. degree programs was based on learning distributed and integrated across various modalities, including in-person. The long-term impact of not having regular, in-person classes is being felt in our community life, relational connections, and overall learning.
Third, a goal of our strategic plan is cultivating a vibrant Christian community that serves and includes in-person, online, and hybrid members. Knowing that RFS sessions and Intensives will be in-person next year, we are exploring ideas of how these times can anchor our living into who God has called us to be.
We hope having this clarity allows everyone to make decisions about next year.
We will continue to monitor COVID and make adjustments to life on campus as needed. Please know that if any student is already on campus for an intensive and tests positive for COVID accommodations will be made. In the meantime, please know that the Deans and all the Academic Affairs teams are working hard to enhance the learning environment here at Luther Seminary.
Terri Elton
Dean of Academic Affairs
Rolf Jacobson
Dean of the Faculty
Leon Rodriques
Interim Dean of Students