Public Statements

Spring 2021 Academic Calendar

August 18, 2020

Dear Member of the Hamilton Community,

Just as we modified the Fall 2020 academic calendar to limit campus community exposure to COVID-19 during the ongoing pandemic, Hamilton will similarly compress the Spring 2021 schedule while still providing a full semester of instruction. The calendar subcommittee of Academic Council carefully weighed the benefits and disadvantages of several options before proposing the final plan. The new schedule was approved by Academic Council and shared with the Academic Continuity Advisory Committee and Senior Staff.

Spring orientation for new students will begin on Friday, Jan. 29, likely with a staggered arrival leading up to that date (details to follow for new families). Spring classes will begin on Monday, Feb. 1, and end on Tuesday, May 11. Wednesday and Thursday, May 12 and 13, are designated reading days, and finals will be conducted Friday to Tuesday, May 14 to 18.

Unfortunately, there will be no spring break. This was a difficult decision, and I realize it will be disappointing to many of you. As in the fall, however, we wanted to reduce the likelihood that students and employees traveling outside our region might bring the virus back to campus with them. The revised calendar does include two wellness days, a Tuesday and a Wednesday, with no classes. While eliminating the two-week break also means canceling some traditional activities — including service trips, athletics trips, and off-campus research — the new wellness days create an opportunity for our community to focus collectively on a topic that is, perhaps, more important than ever.

Under the revised calendar, classes will be held Monday through Friday. Unlike the fall semester, no Saturday classes will be required. The spring semester will finish on time, with a shortened set of Senior Days leading up to Commencement for the Class of 2021 on Sunday, May 23. As previously announced, a commencement ceremony for the Class of 2020 will be held on campus on Sunday, June 6.

As always, these plans may change as the coronavirus pandemic evolves. In the meantime, I look forward to seeing many of you on campus soon.

David