Field Camp Announcement
Hello Geology Majors:
Plans for field camp are moving forward. We should know whether GEOL 460 will be taught in the field or by using a remote option in a few weeks. In order to plan food purchases and lodging arrangements, we need to get an accurate count of people intending to attend the Wasatch-Uinta Field Camp this summer 2021. Unfortunately, we do not yet know whether GEOL 460 will be taught in person in the field or by remote techniques (online).
First, much is undecided regarding field camp. That is to be expected for a number of reasons, including the slow but accelerating pace of covid vaccination, the fact that field camp management requires coordination and agreement among five different universities, and the involvement of other private and public entities in field camp. We can say the following with certainty, however.
1. GEOL 460 will be offered during the summer of 2021.
2. We do not yet know whether GEOL 460 will be offered by remote means (as was done last summer) or as an in-person field camp based in Park City UT.
3. Only one option will be available for students enrolling in GEOL 460 (you will not be able to choose between a remote option and an in-person field camp if you wish to enroll in GEOL 460).
4. Sometime near the end of this month the consortium will decide whether field camp will operate remotely or in person for the summer of 2021. We anticipate that decision will carry through to UNL. If the consortium goes remote so too will GEOL 460, if the consortium goes to the field so will GEOL 460.
5. As a UNL student you can enroll in a field camp offered by another university and request that the other class substitute for GEOL 460. These requests are considered on a case-by-case basis.
Let us consider some different possibilities here:
A. You are committed to taking a field camp that is taught in the field and are not interested in a remote option. If GEOL 460 is taught in the field, then you can take it this summer. If GEOL 460 is taught remotely, then you will either have to seek out another in-person field camp that has vacancies this summer and petition to substitute that course for GEOL 460, or you will have to wait until next summer.
B. You are committed to taking a remote option to satisfy your GEOL 460 requirement. If GEOL 460 is taught remotely, then you enroll in it and take it this summer. If GEOL 460 is taught in the field this summer, you will have to either wait until next summer to see if a remote option is offered or find a remote option from another university. In any event, you will have to petition the Department to allow you to substitute the remote option that you selected to satisfy your GEOL 460 requirement.
C. You are committed to taking GEOL 460 this summer irrespective of whether it is taught in person or remotely. Sign up for GEOL 460 and complete the requirement this summer.
Please send me (rkettler1@unl.edu) an email with one of the following sentences in the subject line:
- I will enroll in GEOL 460 irrespective of whether it is taught in the field or remotely.
OR
- I will only enroll in GEOL 460 if it is taught in person.
OR
- I will only enroll in GEOL 460 if it is taught remotely.
You must respond to this email if you intend to participate in GEOL 460 this summer.
Thank you.
Richard M. Kettler