CU Boulder nixes spring break, will start the semester later
University of Colorado Boulder students will not have a traditional spring break this year, although campus leaders on Thursday committed to providing a better on- campus experience and to investing $ 1.8 million in mental health services.
To make up for the usual five- day spring break, CU Boulder’s spring semester will begin three days later, on Jan. 14. Students will also have Feb. 17 and March 25 off.
Students have had a rocky fall semester, between surging coronavirus cases, public health orders that prevented gatherings and a sharp increase in need for mental health support.
The main purpose for not having a traditional spring break is to prevent the spread of coronavirus from students traveling and then returning to campus, campus leaders said Thursday.
“Opting out of spring vacation was a difficult decision,” Chancellor Phil DiStefano said at a news conference. “However, that decision was made keeping in mind the health and safety of our students, of our faculty and of our staff.”
DiStefano said CU Boulder made the decision in partnership with Boulder County Public Health.
Students expressed anger and sadness about the decision on social media, even stating they might not return for the spring semester, though Provost Russell Moore said it’s too soon to say what enrollment will look like for the spring.
Freshman Sage Lanzi said he’d heard some grumblings from classmates, but he is glad to see campus leaders taking preventative measures.
“I know a lot of people are upset about losing the whole spring break, but we saw a huge spike ( in coronavirus cases) after Labor Day and that was just a three- day weekend,” Lanzi said.
CU Boulder offered a mix of in- person, online and hybrid courses this fall, and the spring semester will likely look the same, Moore said. Currently CU Boulder is offering roughly 50% all- online courses, 25% hybrid courses and 25% inperson courses.
More details about class formats will be available in early November.