We are asking the college of science and engineering at James Cook University to reconsider the proposed changes of removing face-to-face lectures for all subjects in the college starting in 2027. The proposal represents a significant change to how students will learn and experience university. Many students choose JCU because of its reputation for hands-on education and the opportunity to engage directly with lecturers and experts. Removing in-person lectures risks diminishes the quality of the experience. 

Students are concerned this change could lead to:

• Negative impacts on learning outcomes and academic performance. In person lectures reduce cognitive overload by allowing real-time clarification, pacing adjustments and multimodal teaching. 
• Reduced student engagement and sense of community, including a decline in campus life and thus the overall university experience.
• Isolation for students leading to worsened mental health problems.
•  Less opportunity to develop communication, teamwork, and professional skills. STEM graduates need verbal communication skills, removing lectures will only decrease our chances to interact with professionals in our field. 
• Lower attendance and motivation
• Reduced value for the tuition fees students pay, especially international students who rely on campus contact hours for their visas.
• Accreditation issues. Many professional bodies expect in-person components and sudden removal will affect employability and accreditation reviews.                  

We ask JCU to maintain in-person lectures due to:

• Science-backed better learning outcomes
• Greater student engagement 
• Mental health and wellbeing for students 
• Value for tuition fees 
• Preparation for professional careers
• Equity of choice 

Our request to the college of Science and Engineering at James Cook University: 

1.      Continue offering in-person lectures for all subjects 

2.      Consult students before implementing major changes to teaching delivery 

3.      Realise the tremendous side effects of removing in-person lectures and consider what this will mean to their student body, economy of the university, accreditation of degrees and employability of their students.

JCU staff: Please provide feedback directly through the official consultation process by emailing educationchange@jcu.edu.au. Staff submissions through this channel will form part of the formal review and help ensure the educational and broader impacts of this proposal are considered.

Together, we can preserve the engaging, high-quality university experience that current and future JCU students deserve.