2020 Academic Calendar Change

Greetings Students,

We are working hard to prepare for your arrival in August.  We are putting several strategies in place to reduce the risk of COVID-19 coming to campus.  到目前为止, Grayson has not experienced a significant amount of cases as compared with other areas of the country.

I’m grateful to Calvin Lindell, Interim VP of Academic Affairs, and all of the 教师 who contributed to this reworking of the academic calendar.  I’m also grateful to Corey Fipps, Athletic Director, and the coaches for working to create a meaningful fall athletic schedule while trying to do everything possible to keep everyone safe.

 As we prepare to welcome you back on campus, we will ask you to self-monitor prior to arriving on campus.  Specific instructions will be sent as the time to return approaches.  We will also be checking temperatures and monitoring for symptoms as you return to campus.  We will, in short, make every attempt to reduce the risk of the virus making its way to campus.  我们每个人, 学生, 教师, 和工作人员, will play a role in limiting our contacts with others and self-monitoring for symptoms as we regather.

Once we have regathered, we will need to make every attempt to follow distancing guidelines and follow safe at school practices. More information concerning how we will interact will be coming out as your return approaches.

Part of the risk reduction protocol that we are putting in place called for a change to the fall academic calendar with as little disruption to student learning as possible.  The primary changes to the fall schedule are the elimination of fall break and the completion of the term the week of Thanksgiving.  While it seems 就像 we are shortening the term, it is actually only a few class days shorter and it still falls within established guidelines for a full term.  Health experts have told us that there are traditionally spikes in influenza on university campuses immediately following extended breaks.  We are eliminating the two major breaks for the fall term for that reason.

The revised fall calendar for on-campus classes is as detailed below:
New Student check-in – August 14
Returning Student move-in – beginning Sunday, August 16 at 2:oopm
Classes Start – August 17
Classes End – November 24

Note that this revised fall schedule has no fall break and that there are classes on the Monday and Tuesday of Thanksgiving week.  也, you may be asked to return to campus earlier in August if you are involved in an intercollegiate sport in the fall.  Watch for reporting dates from your coaches.

The completion of the term prior to Thanksgiving will also reduce travel expenses for some of you since you will not need to return to campus until the start of the spring term once you leave for Thanksgiving.

We have missed you.  Faculty 和工作人员 cannot wait until you are back.  Even members of the community that enjoy walking on our campus are asking about you.   We are looking forward to having you back on campus.

再见!

President Allcorn