Simon Elfrink
Staff Writer
selfrink@murraystate.edu
In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, President Bob Jackson sent out an email detailing adjustments made to the spring 2021 semester.
“While we are making great strides on campus to minimize the spread of COVID-19, we have examined the academic calendar for the 2021 spring semester for further safety measures,” Jackson said. “Upon review by the University’s leadership, specific adjustments in the academic calendar are warranted.”
While the fall semester began at an earlier date than originally scheduled, the start date for the spring semester has been pushed back from Jan. 11 to Jan. 19. The University will be closed Jan. 18, the day before classes begin, to recognize Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. The semester will continue from there until Feb. 24 for a non-instructional study day. The only other non-instructional day listed in the president’s release falls on March 30. The revised calendar will not include a spring break, breaking the status quo set by countless spring semesters past, to help prevent the spread of COVID-19 by limiting travel.
Despite the late start to the spring semester, classes are expected to end in a normal time frame. While the 2020 spring semester ended on May 1 with finals ending on May 8, the 2021 spring semester is scheduled to end on May 4 with finals ending on May 7.
“Since the University’s Holiday Schedule is closely linked to the academic calendar, modifications were necessary in order to align the two calendars,” Jackson said. “Thank you for your assistance and cooperation as the University implements these necessary schedule changes.”