Faculty Senate votes to eliminate spring break 2021, adopt other spring calendar changes

September 25, 2020

With a priority to protect the health and safety of the University community, the Faculty Senate voted recently to eliminate spring break 2021, end spring classes one week early and add one reading day to the final exam period. The date for submission of final grades remains unchanged and commencement dates remain the same. URI President David M. Dooley has approved the calendar changes.

The Senate voted overwhelmingly to approve the spring 2021 calendar changes Sept. 17, basing its actions on the following:

  • Ensuring that the University’s spring semester runs as smoothly as possible and be a positive experience for all of our students and faculty
  • Creating the safest possible campus environments for students, staff and faculty
  • Maximizing our ability to offer our students as many in-person and blended classes as possible
  • Minimizing potential for disruptions
  • Preventing an abrupt shift to fully remote instruction for all courses similar to the one that occurred in spring 2020

Spring break 2021 was originally scheduled for March 22 through 28, but it has been eliminated, and the newly approved calendar has classes meeting that week. In addition, the last day of classes in the new calendar is April 26, with reading days set for April 27, 28 and 29. Final exams are scheduled for April 30 and May 3 through 7.

Undergraduate commencement is scheduled for May 23, 2021, the date set in the original calendar. Graduate commencement is set for May 22.

In making its decision, the Faculty Senate cited uncertainty created by COVID-19 outbreaks across the United States and, in particular, on college campuses, and the need to prepare for the likely persistence of existing outbreaks and potential for a new wave of infections.

The Senate met during the summer to discuss calendar issues so it would be prepared to vote this month. If it had not, the existing calendar would have remained in force and with it issues around registration, health and safety and teaching and learning. The Senate also wanted to give community members, including students and their families, adequate time to plan.