No KU spring break? Here’s how COVID-19 will rearrange college calendars in Kansas
This fall, University of Kansas and Kansas State University students will head home from college for Thanksgiving — and not return to campus until next year.
K-State is starting its fall classes a week early. And KU won’t have spring break in March. It’s tacking that time onto a lengthy winter break.
It’s because of COVID-19.
As area universities prepare to reopen campuses for the fall, they are taking safety precautions such as mixing in-person classes with some online instruction, rearranging classroom seating for better social distancing and encouraging masks and frequent hand-washing.
The latest measure to be announced: limiting students’ travel between campus and home for breaks in an attempt to limit the spread of the virus.
KU will start classes as previously scheduled on Aug. 24. Students will not get a Labor Day holiday nor an October midterm break, said Erinn Barcomb-Peterson, university spokeswoman.
Students will be encouraged to leave campus before Thanksgiving. The following week is called a “a study week,” but there won’t be classes. Students can use the time to prepare for final exams, taken remotely online in December.
There will be no spring break in March, but winter break will be lengthened. The spring semester will start later — on Feb. 1 instead of Jan. 19.
The changes are subject to approval by the Kansas Board of Regents.
K-State has not made the same changes to its spring calendar. But it will start a week earlier, on Aug. 17.
K-State’s last day for in-person classes for the semester will be Nov. 20, right before Thanksgiving. The last two weeks of the semester, including final exams, will be completed remotely, online.
“Rather than traveling three times in a four-week period, students will only have to travel once,” said Charles Taber, K-State provost and executive vice president.
The University of Missouri and the University of Missouri-Kansas City are keeping their Aug. 24 start dates. And neither has decided on any changes to fall or spring breaks.
“We will monitor the public health situation closely and constantly, following Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and local guidelines, and make changes to steps, timelines and requirements in the plan as needed,” said John Martellaro, university spokesman.
The University of Central Missouri plans to keep its traditional calendar, starting the semester Aug. 17. Finals are set for Dec. 7-11, followed by winter break. Spring semester starts Jan. 11.
This story was originally published June 15, 2020 at 5:31 PM with the headline "No KU spring break? Here’s how COVID-19 will rearrange college calendars in Kansas."
