AU required to expand in-person operations in Athabasca, president defends virtual campus

Government of Alberta Advanced Education Minister Demetrios Nicolaides has recently announced that Athabasca University will be required to expand its in-person operations in Athabasca. AU has been transitioning to “near-virtual” operations since spring 2020, and AU President Peter Scott reportedly said in an email that the move to an “online virtual campus” with “a near-virtual workforce” would continue. CBC reports that a grassroots group had lobbied the government to keep the university operating in Athabasca as the loss of jobs would impact the town. CBC Note: Archived stories may contain dead links or be missing source links.