Date: November 17, 2020
TO: The NYU Community
FROM: President Andrew Hamilton and Provost Katherine Fleming

At its meeting on November 5, the University Senate approved changes to the University’s Academic Calendar* for the spring 2021 semester, including the suspension of NYU’s traditional week-long spring break owing to reasons of public health.

There are two key items we want to bring to your attention:

Two Additional 3-Day Weekends

Breaks from the intensity of the semester are important. This year, even as we were forced to suspend the week-long break in March, the Senate voted to create two new 3-day weekends in the Spring calendar by canceling classes on two days: Friday, March 19 and Monday, April 19. These two new 3-day weekends are in addition to the long weekend planned for President’s Day, on Monday, February 15.

It’s already been a long year, and these weekends are very much intended to be breaks. Faculty should treat them as they would spring break: avoid assigning work to be completed over the 3-day weekends or scheduling assessments immediately after them. (Please note: in some, very limited cases, certain programs may have specific coursework or clinical requirements that conflict with this guidance; in these cases, faculty and students should follow the instructions of their school's dean's office).

The Inclusion of a “Legislative Day”

A “legislative day” is used to balance the academic calendar so courses meet instructional time requirements while keeping proper sequence.

  • Thursday, February 18 is set aside as a “legislative day”; on that day, please follow a Monday schedule.

*(The schedule of some academic programs, particularly graduate and professional programs, sometimes vary from the main University academic calendar; in those instances, students, faculty, and staff should follow the direction from school deans’ offices).