They can try. From today’s email from UMKC’s administration, a statement that course modality may not be altered without the consent of a Dean:
Changes to Class Format
Changes to course format this close to the start of the semester are highly disruptive to our students. For that reason, faculty should not be changing class modality at this time. Only under rare and exceptional circumstances, and when it would not be disruptive to students, a chair, with dean support, can change a course modality.
They can try. But, isn’t the risk assessment for each individual variable and fact dependent?
Missouri State of Mind 