I was looking forward to treating this class as a semi online class by watching lectures and doing the quizzes at home. However with the new grading system, does this mean we cannot anymore? Went anonymous because it seemed like a silly question.

Don't forget that the class voted not to move to a more online version of the course. That was a class decision. The videos are still online, though, and you can watch them from home.

The labs require review and certification. Both of these can be done outside the lab hours, but you have to arrange to meet with the students who will do your reviews and certifications. I may still spot check some certifications -- especially if I see a lot of off-hours certifications. But if you know the material, that should not be a problem for you.