College gone mild: Ohio State drops spring break for 2021

COVID-19 has already taken away house parties and Taco Bell’s Mexican Pizza from college students this year. What’s next on the chopping block? Spring break.

Ohio State recently released details about the upcoming spring semester in an email sent to students by executive vice president and provost Bruce McPheron: “There will be no spring break. Instead, there will be two instructional breaks — on Tuesday, Feb. 9, and Wednesday, March 31 — where there will be no classes.This approach will keep our community together throughout the semester and reduce travel-related exposures.”

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The statement also noted that the semester will begin with a week of exclusively online classes between Jan. 11 and 15 to allow students a chance to quarantine before in-person instruction begins. The final day of classes will be April 21, with exams ending April 29. A commencement ceremony will be held May 9 in an undetermined format.

Courses available for the next semester are not yet decided. Colleges must submit their courses by Sept. 20 so students can begin to enroll Oct. 19.

“We will continue to explore ways to expand and enhance opportunities for in-person experiences this spring,” McPheron said in the email. “Ultimately, these decisions will depend both on the evolution of COVID-19 science and our continued commitment to the measures listed on the Safe and Healthy Buckeyes website.”

Testing, contact-tracing, and mandatory mask and distancing requirements will continue through the spring.

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