Nebraska Wesleyan University will begin the fall semester in person on Monday, August 17 — one week earlier than originally planned.
Classes will continue on campus until the week of November 23 when the residence halls will close and students will return home for the Thanksgiving holiday. Classes will not be held November 23-27.
The final week of classes will be held remotely November 30-December 4 and will include lectures, small group discussions and instruction of new material. Final exams will be given remotely December 7-11.
Students will return to campus when the spring semester starts on Monday, January 11.
"Following many discussions with members of the Academic Task Force and the Administrative Council, we feel strongly that these adjustments will not only allow us to be together in person for nearly all of the fall semester, but they will also help us to respond effectively to a potential second wave of COVID-19 next winter," said Darrin Good, president of Nebraska Wesleyan University.
"Our hope is that we can protect the health of our entire campus community by significantly reducing travel to and from campus during the semester and particularly between Thanksgiving and spring semester," he continued. "We can reduce exposure and the spread of infection while maintaining our deep commitment to excellence, personal attention and student success."
Labor Day will still be a holiday for faculty, staff and students but no fall break is scheduled for the semester.
The university will share plans in mid-June regarding fall classes; student experiences including housing, athletics and recreation, student activities and student support; and operational measures, specifically safety in the social spaces, labs, classrooms and offices.