On Oct. 26, University of Idaho President C. Scott Green emailed students, faculty and staff announcing Faculty Senate’s decisions regarding the Spring 2021 calendar. After reviewing results from a poll, the university decided to leave the calendar unchanged.
Spring classes begin Jan. 13, Spring Break will be March 15-19, exam week will end May 14 and Commencement is expected to be held May 15. Students returning to the Moscow campus must be tested for COVID-19 to attend in-person classes.
ASUI President Lauren Carlsen was involved in the discussions about the calendar and was happy the university moved forward with what students expressed interest in. She said the COVID-19 precautions UI used this semester will remain in place unless the situation changes.
Ciara Drake, a junior at UI majoring in medical sciences with an emphasis in pre-medicine, is impressed with the work UI has done to keep the university open during the fall semester. She said UI has been able to provide timely COVID-19 testing to faculty, staff and students with the help of Gritman Medical Center.
As a healthcare worker, she said she recognizes the hard work and courage it takes to work during a global pandemic and is thankful for the medical staff at Gritman who have aided UI in keeping the community safe, but she said she hasn’t seen much communication about what Spring 2021 will look like.
“As a student, this is alarming for both my physical and mental health,” Drake said. “Over Labor Day weekend, the infection rate at (UI) rapidly increased due to travel and community outbreak. Thinking of Spring Break makes me fearful that these same statistics will follow break, only in larger quantities.”
Carlsen is aware that potential travel over Spring Break may concern UI students.
One change being made in Spring 2021 is hyflex or virtual meeting courses will not have a web fee, although online courses will. In semesters prior to Fall 2020, online and hybrid courses had a $35/credit web fee, according to Green’s e-mail.
UI plans to continue making improvements for the spring semester.
Evelyn Avitia can be reached at [email protected].