AKRON, Ohio – The University of Akron has announced changes to its spring 2021 semester including moving spring break to April and designating three weeks for all classes to be online in an effort to curb the spread of the coronavirus.
The university’s spring break, typically held in March, has been scheduled for April 12 to 18 and will be followed by two weeks of remote instruction and then a week of final exams, which will also be remote.
Ending the semester all online is a way to reduce the spread of COVID-19 on campus by students or faculty who may travel during spring break, the university said in a news release.
UA will also begin the semester with remote instruction for the first week of classes beginning Jan. 11, to “allow those who will be traveling internationally or to high-risk states to quarantine when they get back,” the university said. The first day of face-to-face instruction for in-person classes will be Jan. 19.
“The schedule was designed to balance the health and safety of campus and the surrounding community with the mental health and academic success of students,” UA said. The release says the schedule was endorsed by the Undergraduate Student Government, the Student Working Group, Faculty Senate Executive Committee, University Council Executive Committee and leadership of the AAUP faculty union.
The dates and format of commencement ceremonies have not been determined, the university said. Students living on campus will receive information about the timeline and procedures for returning to residence halls in the spring.
