Highlander Archive / The Highlander “Current forecasts give us hope that in the fall our students can enjoy a more normal on-campus experience,” stated University of California President Michael V. Drake, M.D. on Jan. 11, after the UC announced that it is planning for a return to primarily in-person instruction systemwide starting fall 2021. The responsibility of specific plans for resumption of fall classes, including additional safety measures and starting dates, were placed on individual UC campuses as they continue to coordinate closely with local public health agencies and follow all local and state health guidelines. In early February, UCR faculty and students were surveyed to better understand their preferences for fall quarter instruction. In a campus press release, Interim Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor Thomas Smith stated that overall, respondents were strongly split on their instructional mode preferences. “Written comments expressed both support for returning to in-person instruction as well as concerns about the health risks, and emphasized the importance of vaccinations, the challenges of ‘dual mode’ instruction, and the need for all members of the campus community to follow public health guidelines as a condition for returning to campus,” stated Smith.