Penn instructs students to ignore ‘online’ course designations during advance registration

Advance registration for the fall 2021 semester opens on Tuesday after being delayed by over three weeks. 

Acting Associate Director for Undergraduate Studies Kate Dorsch wrote in an emailed statement to The Daily Pennsylvanian that while Penn's plan to return to in-person instruction in the fall "could change at any moment" as the pandemic remains unpredictable, the University is planning to hold all courses in person, regardless of their current location listing on Penn InTouch — some of which are currently listed as "online," and others as "in-person."

"[The issue] strikes me as nothing more than ongoing pandemic-related mix-ups," Dorsch wrote, adding that the current course formats listed on Penn InTouch are inaccurate and students should ignore them when registering for classes. "We're doing our best to catch these errors."

Penn delayed its advance registration period to April 13 through April 23, instead of the previously scheduled March 22 through April 4, to provide more time for faculty and students to plan as Penn  considered modes of instruction for the fall.

Associate Director and Assistant Dean for Academic Affairs for the College Molly McGlone wrote in an emailed statement to the DP that syllabi must be uploaded to Penn InTouch by the beginning of advance registration, so that they can inform students' class choices.

As professors gear up for the fall, many said they are looking forward to getting back into the classroom, but also plan to take with them the lessons they learned from virtual instruction. Many said they have found some of the changes brought about by online learning to be positive — from small group discussions to pre-recorded lectures — and plan to employ them when the University resumes in-person classes.