While taking into account these possible scenarios, be aware that the state of individual colleges depends upon the situation of their respective state in terms of the progression of the virus. Not every college will follow the same guidelines.
Back to Normal
All classes will be in-person as usual and co-curricular activities will meet normally. This scenario is highly unlikely as viral immunity is still uncertain and a vaccine will not be available by the beginning of fall semester.
Moving Fall to Spring
In this scenario, the fall semester would be postponed until January 2021, closer to a date where a vaccine might be available. After that, universities might push the spring semester to the summer or try a modified schedule to fit both a spring and a much shorter summer session by August 2021. In this scenario, however, our summer is effectively gone, and chances for a summer internship or program is highly unlikely. That being said, some universities, like Boston University, are already considering this approach.
Block Plan
A block plan mimics what some colleges already do. In this approach, students would take one class at a time, each in a 3 to 4-week period. This would limit the number of students out on campus. However, this would mean that students would have at one class every day, with no chance at a free day, and they would be limited to four classes for that semester.
Students in Residence, learning virtually
Students who choose to live on campus would be allowed to do so, but the classes would still be taught through an online format. This would enable students to still attend co-curricular activities in person, while also allowing the university to limit the number of students congregating for classes.
A HyFlex Model
A HyFlex model is probably the most attractive for students, but the hardest for instructors. In this scenario, in-person and online classes would take place at the same time. The lectures would both be held in person and be streamed online live with a mode of online interaction, perhaps even recorded for later viewing. This way, students can choose whether to attend class online or in-person and there would be a limit to the number of students in the hall, abiding by social distancing rules. However, if done incorrectly, online students may not be given the instructor's full intention and lost traction in the course material. Therefore, this approach relies heavily on the instructor's ability to integrate technology with in-person lecturing.
Fully Remote
This is the scenario nobody wants. Students would not be allowed on campus at any capacity. Co-curricular activities and lectures would still be online and students would work from home. However, this is most likely the safest option when considering public health guidelines. To avoid this scenario, the best thing for students to do is to stay at home for this summer and flatten the curve in hopes for a reopening in the fall.
