Next semester, the University of Indianapolis will not be having a spring break and will instead have five break days for the entire semester, along with having Good Friday off, University President Robert Manuel announced in an email to students, faculty and staff on Oct. 7. The semester will begin on Tuesday, Jan. 19, according to his email.
The planned break days are Feb. 11, Feb. 22, Mar. 16-17 and April 30, according to Manuel’s email. Good Friday will also be a day off and observed as a campus holiday on April 2, which is university tradition, Manuel said in the email. Classes will not be in session and campus offices will be closed for Good Friday.
The decision to modify the Semester II calendar by eliminating a traditional Spring Break and having five break days distributed throughout the semester instead was the result of feedback from students, faculty and staff who provided their input through surveys and focus groups, according to Manuel’s email.
“It was clear from information gleaned from these groups that we needed to build into our schedule a series of micro-breaks that allow some space for students and faculty to recuperate, while not promoting ways to spread the virus,” Manuel said in the email.
Classes will continue to be offered in multiple formats, including in-person, hybrid and online classes, according to Manuel’s email. For Semester II, flexibility will be given to courses with specific needs, such as clinical experiences and some programs may be allowed to start the term early, along with other variations, Manuel’s email said.
Finals week will be from May 3 to May 7, and will be delivered in the format of the course it is for, according to Manuel’s email. Finals can also be offered through an online format, regardless of the course type, at the instructor’s discretion, Manuel’s email said. The semester will end on May 7.
The Spring Term and Summer session dates remain unchanged as of now, according to Manuel’s email. The university will be determining the format for course delivery as terms come closer.
UIndy will also close and observe two additional holidays over the summer: June 18 and July 2, according to Manuel’s email. The June 18 closure will be in observance of Juneteenth, which the university is currently considering establishing as a permanent university holiday, and the July 2 closure will be in observance of Independence Day, Manuel’s email said.
The university will continue to follow the protocols established in the UIndy Road to Re-engagement plan for Semester I, according to Manuel’s email.
NEW SEMESTER II CALENDAR AT A GLANCE:
- Jan. 18: Martin Luther King Jr. Day — Campus closed
- Jan. 19: Classes begin
- Feb. 11: Break day
- Feb. 22: Break day
- Mar. 16-17: Break days
- April 2: Good Friday — Campus closed
- April 30: Break day
- May 3-7: Finals week
- May 7: Semester ends
- May 8: Commencement
