Delayed Start of Spring Quarter

 

To: All Campus

From: Ka Yee C. Lee, Provost

Subject: Delayed Start of Spring Quarter

Date: March 16, 2020

 

The COVID-19 pandemic is moving quickly and changing rapidly. In turn, we are taking a number of precautions to keep ourselves, our families, and our communities safe. On March 12 we announced that all Spring Quarter classroom instruction for undergraduate and graduate courses would be moved online.

 

In careful consultation with the deans and in consideration of feedback from undergraduate and graduate student leaders, we are delaying the start of Spring Quarter by one week, from Monday, March 30 to Monday, April 6 for most units on campus. This will provide University instructors sufficient time to transition to remote learning. The Law School will still begin Spring Quarter on Monday, March 30, to ensure adherence to accreditation guidelines.

 

I know this has been a difficult time for all members of our University community, and it is producing many pressures beyond the considerable work required for a normal academic year. The situation calls for us to fundamentally rethink how we teach and learn, conduct research, and collaborate, all on a very short timeline. Your response to this challenge has been inspiring, and I deeply appreciate the flexibility, generosity, and resilience that I have seen from every corner of campus.

 

This delayed start means Spring Quarter will have nine weeks of instruction. We hope the one-week delay of Spring Quarter helps our community as we all manage this challenging situation. Please continue to look for regular updates at https://coronavirusupdates.uchicago.edu/, and contact coronavirusinfo@uchicago.edu if you need guidance, assistance or resources.

 

Thank you for your commitment to the health and safety of our community and your support of the continuity of the university’s mission.