×

Finlandia set to return to campus in fall

Garrett Neese/Daily Mining Gazette A sign for Finlandia University stands in front of the Hoover Center on campus. The university announced Thursday it plans to resume in-person instruction in the fall.

HANCOCK — Finlandia University announced Thursday it plans to reopen in-person instruction for the fall semester.

Classes will start Aug. 24, President Philip Johnson announced in a post on Finlandia’s website.

Finlandia ended in-person classes in early March, transitioning to remote learning within five days. 

“Finlandia’s new learning management system, an agile faculty, innovative student learning services professionals, and an inspiring demonstration of student grit made spring semester 2020 a success,” Johnson said. “Yet, we know that students and their families choose Finlandia for what it does best: face-to-face instruction delivered by highly qualified faculty and staff who know their names as well as their stories, who mentor as well as teach.”

Finlandia is planning a safe open both as a business and as a campus, Johnson said. It will look to local, state and federal public health guidelines to determine the timeline for reopening. 

“As faculty, staff, and administrators return to campus, these protocols will be observed while Finlandia provides workplace/work time flexibilities and protections that best promote safety and wellness,” he said. 

To create a safe open for students, Finlandia will also look to guidelines from an executive group with representatives from private and independent colleges universities from around the state. Finlandia is also launching a student health center this fall in collaboration with UP Health System — Portage. The center, which will be staffed by a nurse practitioner, will be free for students. 

Finlandia is helped by its smaller campus and enrollment, which allows the university to be more flexible and also provide students with more attention, Johnson said. 

Johnson said further plans would be announced later on the university’s website, finlandia.edu.

Newsletter

Today's breaking news and more in your inbox

I'm interested in (please check all that apply)
Are you a paying subscriber to the newspaper? *
   

Starting at $4.62/week.

Subscribe Today