Fall 2020 Academic Calendar and Thanksgiving Break Guidance

The University Provost released information about the Fall 2020 Academic Calendar and Thanksgiving break on July 29, 2020. You can find the exact communication on the Provost’s website. We have included the most crucial information below. Please note the content on these pages and files is no longer being updated and may be out of date.

Therefore, after considerable discussion and review, we have decided not to make any changes to the calendar as currently posted. Classes will begin, as planned, on September 2 and conclude on December 10, with final exams completed by December 19. We plan to complete the fall 2020 semester with the Learn from Anywhere (LfA) approach. This approach will provide flexibility, enabling students to participate in courses – and finals – either in the classroom or remotely.

The Thanksgiving break, of course, presents the greatest variable in the semester, as it is a time when so many students normally travel to be with their families for the holiday. And this year, travel also holds the possibility of exposing travelers to potential infection – particularly for those who fly home. In accordance with current public health recommendations, we strongly encourage students who wish to complete their semesters on campus to remain on campus over the Thanksgiving break. We know how important a time this traditionally is for many of you and your families and that this is a hard choice to make. We will be hosting Thanksgiving dinners on campus for those who do plan to stay here and will do all we can to make it a pleasant holiday experience.

Students who decide to travel outside of Massachusetts over the Thanksgiving break (or at any other time during the semester) will be subject to public health regulations, which, depending on your destination, might require you to quarantine for up to 14 days upon your return to Boston. For this reason, if you do make the decision to travel home for the holiday, we recommend not returning to campus after Thanksgiving break and instead completing the semester remotely, as is possible under the LfA model.