March 4, 2021
Dear Colleagues,
With the next spring break day approaching on March 9, we write to remind you not to schedule any class meetings, exams, or other assignments on a break day up through the following morning. In addition, please do not reschedule make-up classes or sections missed on the break days because that would be adding instruction time beyond what is scheduled for the school term. The break days should be treated as if they were part of a normal spring break, which was shortened and broken up this year because of public health and safety restrictions.
In addition, we ask that you be flexible and accommodating for post-break days, such as March 10 next week. Although we recognize that you need to proceed with your instruction plan, please avoid scheduling exams or major assignments on these post-break days; this will allow students to rest on the break days, providing some leavening in an otherwise continuous semester. We understand that you need to assign weekly readings and assignments, but where possible, please consider extending any deadlines or relaxing the weight of grading for work due on the post-break days.
The pairs of break days and post-break days for the remainder of Spring 2021 are as follows:
- March 9 and 10 (Tuesday (break day) / Wednesday (post-break day))
- March 24 and 25 (Wednesday (break day) / Thursday( post-break day))
- April 8 and 9 (Thursday (break day) / Friday (post break-day))
- April 23 (Friday (break day))
We thank you for your flexibility that will help our students manage through another challenging semester, and we hope that these requirements and recommendations may also help you find some relief from the demands facing you.
Tamar, Marvin, Lynn
Tamar Szabó Gendler
Dean, Faculty of Arts and Sciences
Marvin Chun
Dean of Yale College
Lynn Cooley
Dean of the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences