On the top of my Excel sheet that I am going to be using to plan our classes, I wrote:

Assuming a traditional semester on-campus, no pandemic, USA is still a democracy, no Zombies

I have been debating whether I should make an alternative schedule just in case the zombies get us.

As a chair, what should I plan for 2021-2022? Are we going to be in-person and back to the traditional semester? Is everything going to be swept away by the multitude of vaccines. The vaccine roll-out has not gone so smoothly, surprise surprise.

Our department has gone through some changes over the last year with some faculty retiring and some exciting new programs on the horizon. Its hard to plan for September when its nearly impossible to plan for February. For example, today and tomorrow are big days in American politics that will likely have repercussions for years to come.