By Nancy Sanchez-Diaz and Amaya Morales

Entertainment Editor and Managing Editor

The Fall 2020 semester will start a week earlier and end before Thanksgiving, President Christopher Capuano announced on Friday, May 29. 

Classes on both campuses will start Aug. 17 with remote instruction and will be moved “to face-to-face instruction beginning no earlier than Sept. 8, the day after Labor Day,” read Capuano’s email.

The decision to return will be based on the public health and government officials, as well as the community’s “readiness to operate our campuses safely,” the email stated. 

Capuano said the decision was made “after reviewing the recommendations of our task force on academics, which included input from students.”

Housing residents will be allowed back on campus only if permitted by local, state and federal guidelines. 

To condense the semester and avoid unnecessary travel, the October break will be eliminated and there will only be one reading day. 

The split approach will give students the opportunity to enroll in winter courses during December and January, enabling them to get ahead in credits.   

Our return to campus and the extent of protocols will be contingent on the nature of COVID-19 guidelines issued, with Capuano noting the flexibility that the split approach offers.   

Students and faculty will not be able to return to campus until it is safe and “aligned with recommendations provided by public health and government authorities,” the email noted.