Boise State University students are completing fall semester remotely.
Come April, they will wrap up spring semester in similar fashion.
The university has tweaked its spring calendar in response to the ongoing — and worsening — Idaho coronavirus pandemic.
A few milestones:
- Spring semester begins on Jan. 11, with a week of online instruction.
- A later-than-usual spring break is scheduled for April 12-16.
- After spring break, the final two weeks of classes will take place remotely.
- Finals week is slated for May 3-7, and commencement is scheduled for May 8.
In an email to students, quoted in a recent article in the Boise State Arbiter, interim Provost Tony Roark outlined the reasons for the move.
“Many of us have recognized that a traditional spring break would be problematic for health and safety reasons,” Roark said. “The concern now with air travel, navigating airports, public transit, and of course any sort of exposure students might experience while they are recreating or whatever it might be, poses a significant health risk not only to them but also to the broader community and the campus community.”
For fall semester, Boise State shut down in-person classes on Nov. 20, the Friday before Thanksgiving break. Students were allowed to finish the semester at home or given the option of staying on campus.
For the week after Thanksgiving, Boise State reported 76 new coronavirus cases — 39 involving students living off campus, 10 involving students on campus. For the week before Thanksgiving, Boise State reported 102 new student cases.
