Update regarding COVID-19 from President Houston Davis to students, faculty, and staff
It is hard to believe, but Thanksgiving Break and our last day of in-person classes for the fall semester are less than a week away. With that in mind, I wanted to send a few quick reminders about the academic calendar, study locations and finals, and plans for the spring semester.
ACADEMIC CALENDAR AND CAMPUS SERVICES
As we have previously communicated, the last day of in-person instruction for M-F classes is this Friday, Nov. 20. You will then have a full week off for Thanksgiving (Monday, Nov. 23 through Sunday, Nov. 29). The four days of instruction following Thanksgiving, as well as final exams in December, will be remote.
Though face-to-face instruction for the fall semester will end after Nov. 20, 2020, the rest of campus, including residence halls, dining facilities, HPER, library and all university offices will remain open through Dec. 22. You can click on the hyperlinks above to see the most up-to-date hours and information for those services.
The spring 2021 semester will begin as scheduled Tuesday, Jan. 19, 2021, which is the Tuesday after the observation of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. Just as in the fall semester, we will have a variety of options for instructional delivery in the spring, including in-person, hybrid, and online. As a reminder, you can always find the most updated academic calendar here.
STUDY ROOMS AND FINALS
As we mentioned in a Nov. 2 communication, we have expanded the hours of five rooms on campus that may be used for small group study sessions. As when you are in regular classroom spaces, you will be required to wear your masks, maintain six feet of distance from others, and wipe down tables and chairs before and after use with sanitizing wipes. The following Wi-Fi-enabled study rooms are available for extended hours through finals week on Friday, Dec. 11.
Study Rooms in Old Main
- Rooms 14, 27, 112, and 115 will each be available from 6:30 a.m.-10:00 p.m. Monday-Friday (with the exception of Nov. 23-29, when the building will be closed for Thanksgiving Break).
Study Room 202 in Student Center
- Today through Nov. 22: Room 202 will be available from 7:00 a.m.-11:00 p.m. Monday-Thursday; 7:00 a.m.-8:00 p.m. Friday; closed Saturday and Sunday
- Nov. 23-25: 7:00 a.m.-4:30 p.m. each day
- Nov. 26-29: Closed for Thanksgiving Break
- Nov. 30-Dec. 11: 7:00 a.m.-10:00 p.m. Monday through Thursday; 7:00 a.m.-8:00 p.m. Friday; 10:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m. Saturday; closed Sunday
University-wide Study Day is Friday, Dec. 4. Finals will be held remotely for Saturday classes on Saturday, Dec. 5 and remotely for M-F classes from Monday, Dec. 7 through Friday, Dec. 11.
HEALTH REMINDERS
As you travel near and far in the coming weeks, please remember to remain diligent in protecting yourself and others from the spread of viruses. Some individuals infected with COVID-19 may have very mild symptoms or none at all, while older individuals or those with pre-existing conditions may be at a greater risk of serious complications. Please keep this in mind as you visit family and friends. No matter where you are, wear your masks, maintain six feet of distance whenever possible, and wash your hands often.
If you stay in the area during Thanksgiving Break and experience symptoms of COVID-19, the UCA Student Health Clinic (SHC) will be open every day except Thanksgiving Day and Friday, Nov. 27. If you need medical assistance on either of those two days, you should contact our medical partner, Conway Regional Health System, at (501) 506-CRHS (2747). Conway Regional provides drive-thru testing as well as an after-hours clinic.
PREPARING FOR THE SPRING 2021 SEMESTER
Just as we did leading up to the fall semester, we will communicate regularly in the coming weeks to provide the details and information you need to safely return to campus and remain healthy throughout the spring semester. Please remember to keep an eye on your CUB email account for those messages. We will begin a series of Countdown to Spring Semester communications beginning the week of Dec. 2.
I want to thank every member of our campus community for your amazing patience, diligence, and resolve as we have navigated this fall semester and worked together to keep our campus community safe and healthy. While it has been a semester unlike any other in our history, I am so very proud that UCA has stood firm inside and outside of the classroom on standards of quality and engagement. Our students, faculty, and staff have taken extraordinary measures to ensure that our work is true to our educational mission and that our community could thrive despite challenging conditions. Each of you have responded admirably, and I hope that you get some much-needed rest next week and have a joyful, healthy Thanksgiving season.