CU Boulder opts out of a traditional spring break for 2021
On Oct. 22, Provost Russell Moore and Chief Operating Officer Patrick O’Rourke announced the university will opt out of scheduling a traditional weeklong spring break in 2021. This is an effort to curb the spread of travel-related COVID-19 infections in the Boulder community.
Instead of the typical five-day spring break, the University of Colorado Boulder will start the semester three days later on Jan. 14 and provide students with two off days on Wednesday, Feb. 17 and Thursday, March 25, according to the eMemo.
As a mid-semester break serves to relieve academic stress and provide respite for students, faculty and staff, the news leaves members of the university concerned. For Kellie Brownlee, a doctoral student in the department of communication, she worries about the “burnout effect.”
In a virtual press conference following the eMemo, Chancellor Philip DiStefano announced the university will continue with a mix of in-person, remote and hybrid course models for the spring 2021 semester.
The current breakdown of fall 2020 course modalities estimates 25% in-person, 25% hybrid and 50% remote, according to Moore. The university plans to follow a similar format to this semester, yet will provide more details after Nov. 2, which is the date registration begins for next semester.
“We are still offering a world-class education,” DiStefano said.
In efforts to continue supporting students in these unprecedented times, DiStefano has announced the university will increase funding for counseling and psychiatric services by $1.8 million. It will include 13.5 new counseling and psychological positions over the next four years.
“We are trying to match our resources to the demand on campus,” said Moore about expanding clinical services in CU Boulder’s colleges and schools.
