Protocol for Learning Modalities during periods of cancellation of On-Campus classes

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Approved by the Academic Executive Council, September 2, 2025

The following are guidelines and protocols to be observed during periods of on-campus cancellation of classes.  On-campus cancelations of classes are here defined as periods when classes on-campus are called off due to unexpected events such as typhoons, floods, strikes and rallies, heat waves, etc.  Classes may be called off by either the national government, the local government or the university itself.

The purpose of this protocol is to ensure that learning and instruction will continue during periods of class cancellation.  At all times, the safety of FEU students and faculty are a priority but once the safety of faculty and staff are assured, learning and instruction becomes the next priority.

1. The national or local government or in some cases, the university itself may call for the total cancellation of classes.  The total cancellation of classes means that both on-campus classes as well as online classes are cancelled.  In such cases, usually, onsite work will also be suspended, and the campus will be closed.
   
2. For cases of the cancellation of on-campus class meetings other than the total cancellation of classes, instruction automatically reverts to an online learning platform.  The instructor for the class has the freedom to decide whether the material to be covered for the day be covered through independent study or through a synchronous class meeting.  The taking of attendance and the running of graded assessments are suspended if the instructor calls for a synchronous class meeting. Also, the material covered for the day must be made available for those who are unable to attend. A portal will be created where instructors submit the instruction for the day.
   
3. For cases of the cancellation during hybrid learning days, instruction will proceed as planned.  However, guidelines 2, 4, and 5 will apply.
   
4. The schedule for the submission of assigned work or the schedule of assessments will be suspended and rescheduled only in the case of the total cancellation of classes.  Otherwise, it is the discretion of the instructor to set the deadlines for assigned work and to schedule assessments, provided the usual guidelines for assigning work are followed.
   
5. Students are encouraged to exercise agency, to take charge of their learning and of the situation they are in.  Students who are gravely affected (extreme flooding, power outages in their area) are responsible for contacting their instructors to ask for accommodation.  Students are expected to be truthful in the reporting of how they are affected.  Instructors are expected to accommodate students who have been gravely affected. Refer to the FEU Student Handbook’s Policy on Academic Accommodation.
   
6. Except in cases of national emergencies and unless specified in university announcements, there will be no blanket accommodation[1], leniency, or “academic ease.” 
   
   [1] There will be no general or automatic accommodations, leniency, or measures of “academic ease.”  All academic policies and expectations remain in effect, and any support or flexibility will be considered on a case-by-case basis.
    
7. Activity periods may be used as make-up classes, provided that no attendance be taken, no graded assessments be given, and a record of the class proceedings be made available, either through a digital recording or through notes. Also, the material covered for the day must be made available for those who are unable to attend.
   
8. Apprenticeships, RLE, practice teaching, and OJT work schedules are to be determined not by the university but by the companies, organizations, clinics, hospitals, schools, and centers to which students are reporting. Students who are unable to report to their internship posts should immediately notify both their OJT supervisor and their internship coordinator.

The matrix below summarizes the above protocols.

[2] The FEU academic policy when the local or national government declares a class suspension is to shift to online modality unless the government explicitly states suspension of both onsite and online classes. This policy draws from the experiences of FEU faculty members and students during COVID-19 and other past emergencies, recognizing the importance of continuing learning while being mindful of the challenges crises may bring.