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President Trible sent the following email to students, parents, faculty and staff today.
We had a wonderfully successful fall semester because all of us – students, faculty and staff – took appropriate actions to reduce the spread of the virus. Today, we are announcing changes to the spring 2021 schedule that will give us the time and flexibility to continue to safeguard our community and ensure a successful academic experience.
- The start of the spring semester will be postponed by eight days from Monday, January 11, 2021 to Tuesday, January 19, 2021.
- Classes will be exclusively online from January 19 to January 22.
- We will plan to resume in-person classes on January 25, with the option to remain online for an additional week if necessary due to public health guidance, government restrictions or to accommodate our testing/isolation/quarantine protocols.
To be clear, our plan is to shift back the start and conclusion of the semester but we do not intend to abbreviate it in any respect.
We are adjusting the schedule so that we can offer free COVID-19 tests to students as they return after the holidays with families and friends. The complicated but critical process can best be accomplished over an extended time period. Residential students will return to campus on a staggered schedule so that they may take full advantage of their housing and dining contracts while preparing for the semester and participating in the first week of virtual learning.
Students will receive details about the residence hall move-in schedule and the testing plans through an email in the next few days from Vice President for Student Affairs Dr. Kevin Hughes. Faculty will receive details to shape their planning from Provost Dave Doughty. Staff will be briefed in a communication from Chief of Staff Adelia Thompson.
The dates for a brief spring break, March 18-21, are unchanged.
The change in schedule will necessitate an adjustment to the May 2021 commencement schedule. Ceremonies for Class of 2020 graduates will now be held Saturday, May 8, and the Class of 2021 will be honored on Saturday, May 15.
The university will continue to monitor what has proven to be an ever-changing situation and, if needed, will be poised to make additional adjustments to the spring semester in response to guidance from the state and federal authorities.
I urge you to take all necessary precautions to limit your risk of infection in the days ahead. I wish you a Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays and hope that you will find time to relax and enjoy the company of those you love and return to campus in January in good health and good spirits.