Ohio colleges ditching spring breaks amid coronavirus
Like so many things that happened this year, university leaders seem to hope footage of college students partying on crowded beaches stays in 2020.
At least that’s what the spring 2021 calendars of many Ohio universities would indicate.
As fall semesters begin to wind down and registration gets underway for another term in a pandemic-ridden
school year, colleges and universities have been announcing tweaks to their spring schedules.
In many cases, spring breaks will fall by the wayside in an effort to keep students from traveling. The idea is to minimize spreading the virus to others or bringing it back to campus. In other cases, universities are opting for a later start date or virtual classes to begin the spring semester.
Ohio State University was one of the first to announce back in mid-september it would do away with the traditional spring break in favor of two “instructional days” without classes in February and in March. Leaders said at the time the decision would reduce travel-related exposures.
Other universities and colleges across the state and country have since announced similar moves. Bowling Green University, Denison University, Miami University, Otterbein University, Ohio Wesleyan University, the University of Cincinnati and the University of Toledo have each swapped out their spring break in favor of two to five break days scattered throughout the semester.
On Thursday, Ohio University’s Board of Trustees also voted to replace its traditional spring break with several days off sprinkled throughout the term.
President M. Duane Nellis said university leaders learned a lot during this fall semester and had “an opportunity to look anew at the spring,” which resulted in the adjusted calendar.
“We want to discourage mass transportation in between our campus and destinations across the country that usually happens with spring break,” OU Provost Elizabeth Sayrs told trustees Thursday afternoon.
But OU and leaders at other universities have acknowledged the need for students, faculty and staff members to have some downtime built into the semester, even if not in the usual weeklong form.
“We are adding three mini-breaks spread throughout the semester so that there is time for people to have some downtime and recharge,” Sayrs said.
Changes surrounding spring break in 2021 serve as a grim marker of time in the coronavirus pandemic. It was during March of this year – the same time as many Ohio college spring breaks – that universities made decisions to delay students’ return to campus, with most students eventually forced to move out of dorms altogether in an effort to curb the virus’s spread.
“Although the removal of a traditional Spring Break may be disappointing, each of us must continue to be vigilant in our safety practices to reduce risk to ourselves and others,” University of Cincinnati leaders said in a campus message announcing the changes.
Other schools opted to move their spring breaks to the start or end of the term. Cleveland State University, for example, moved its spring break to the beginning of its spring term in January, allowing students a longer winter break. Kent State University moved its break to April, then plans to finish the semester remotely until the last day of finals on May 12.
Some Ohio universities have yet to announce any adjustments to their spring calendars or have made just limited changes.
Ohio Dominican University, for example, has moved its spring break to coincide with Holy Week. The Near East Side university typically has both a weeklong spring break in March and a long weekend around Easter.
“This change will allow us to provide students with an opportunity for a much-needed break, while also eliminating an instance of students leaving and returning to campus,” ODU spokesman Tom Brockman said in an email.
Some universities are also adjusting the start of their spring semesters, which typically begin in early or midJanuary. In addition to eliminating its spring break, OU trustees decided Thursday to start the semester a week later than usual, with classes beginning Jan. 19. The university also plans to expand its student testing program next semester.
Ohio State will begin the semester at its usual time on Jan. 11 with classes delivered online only during the first two weeks so students can quarantine upon their return.
Ohio Wesleyan won’t start classes until Feb. 3, and even then, will begin the semester remotely for the first two weeks. Classes are scheduled to move to an in-person format starting Feb. 15.
“We believe starting the semester later will help us continue to minimize our COVID-19 risk,” OWU spokesman Cole Hatcher said in an email.
The university also hopes to use its outdoor classrooms more extensively by starting in-person classes later in the semester, Hatcher said. jsmola@dispatch.com @jennsmola