September 18: Spring Break announcement

University of Florida leadership is reviewing a Thursday Faculty Senate vote moving Spring Break from March 6-13 to Jan. 4-8, effectively extending winter break by one week. Spring semester, therefore, would begin on Jan. 11.
 
UF administration expects to make a final decision soon.
 
The Faculty Senate approved the measure with 79% voting in favor. University leadership had proposed the change, which was made in consultation with UF Health, for the purpose of making the spring semester as successful and healthy as possible. The primary purpose is to avoid a situation in which students would travel in March, potentially become infected with COVID-19 and return to campus and the Gainesville community to spread the infection as occurred with the 2020 Spring Break.
 
In addition, should a spike in cases occur this winter as some experts predict, an extra week of break in January may provide more time for the surge to subside. Finally, should a vaccine become available this fall, the additional winter break time would allow more students to receive it.
 
The university is continuing to monitor developments in the pandemic and their potential impact on the academic calendar. A revised academic calendar for the spring semester is currently being developed and will be posted soon at https://catalog.ufl.edu/UGRD/dates-deadlines/pdfs/calendar2021c.pdf.