The current spring break schedule for the spring 2021 semester will remain unchanged following discussion of its cancellation due to concerns of travel during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a SacSend email from Sacramento State President Robert Nelsen. 

The announcement comes just 12 days after the Faculty Senate voted in favor of keeping spring break as it is currently scheduled, from March 22-28. The Division of Academic Affairs had presented three options to the senate: not changing the spring break, starting instruction one week late and eliminating spring break or starting instruction three days late and having a shorter spring break. 

Nelsen said in the email that he still discourages students from traveling over spring break due to the “ripple effects” and a rise in COVID-19 cases caused by travel over the Thanksgiving break.

“Spring Break serves as a much-needed mental health break for students and faculty. Still, I am concerned about what will happen during the break,” Nelsen said in the email. “We have a collective responsibility to do everything we can to prevent the spread of this virus.”

Nelsen added that face-to-face courses will be conducted virtually for the first week of the semester, but Nelsen said he anticipates that those classes will resume in person the following week barring a continued COVID-19 surge in Sacramento.

Nelsen said that students in programs that have accreditation or certification requirements for in-person instruction that may be impacted by being virtual should contact Provost Steve Perez at [email protected] to discuss their options.