Fall Calendar Dates
Fall Semester First Day Classes – Aug. 24
Labor Day – Classes in session
Last Day Regular Undergraduate Classes – Nov. 24
Thanksgiving Break – Nov. 25 through Nov. 29
Final Exams – Nov. 30 through Dec. 3 for undergraduates via Blackboard only
*Online graduate courses will follow the standard semester dates, starting August 24 and ending final exams on December 18.
Adams State University will welcome students back to campus for the 2020-21 fall semester the week of Aug. 24, and will hold class on Labor Day and forgo a fall break to finish regular classes for undergraduates on Tuesday, Nov. 24, just ahead of Thanksgiving, the University announced Wednesday.
The Safe to Return to Campus plan — developed for students, faculty and staff — will include daily symptom monitoring for COVID-19, quarantine and isolation protocols, social distancing and mask requirements, and enhanced cleaning of all campus spaces.
As part of its planning, the University has identified housing to be used to isolate any residential students who may need to be quarantined. In coordination with local health care providers and the Alamosa County Public Health Department, the quarantine/isolation protocols will continue throughout the semester. The University is developing signage and other communications tools to remind the campus community of health expectations and best practices.
The decision to finish undergraduate classes the week of Thanksgiving is part of a series of recommendations from Adams State’s Safe to Return Task Force, which has been developing plans to prepare for the safe return of students and to resume on-campus courses.
Following the last day of regular classes for undergraduates on Nov. 24, students will break for Thanksgiving, and then take final exams remotely via Adams State’s Blackboard online platform from Nov. 30 through Dec. 3.
Online graduate courses will follow the standard semester dates, starting August 24 and ending final exams on December 18.
“We look forward to welcoming our students back to campus in August,” said Adams State President Cheryl D. Lovell. “Preparing for their return has been complex and challenging as we establish procedures to ensure the health and safety of the campus as well as the community of Alamosa and the San Luis Valley.
“We recognize our students travel from across Colorado and neighboring states, and in some cases internationally, to attend Adams State. We take seriously the responsibility we have to the greater community to protect as best we can from the spread of COVID-19 and we believe we are putting in place the proper procedures to successfully welcome back students to campus.”
Adams State University’s policies and protocols for responding to the COVID-19 pandemic are rooted in safety for its staff, faculty and students, and the greater community. The primary goals for Adams State’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic are to protect the health and well-being of its students and staff and continue the institution’s vital mission of education.
The University’s plans will be aligned and consistent with local orders and ordinances of the Alamosa County Public Health Department, as well as the state of Colorado’s Phased Reopening Model. Adams State’s plans also will follow recommendations from the federal government (Opening Guidelines) and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
In the coming weeks, Adams State will send out additional information and guidance to students and families on how to prepare for the fall semester, what students can expect to see in residential housing and meal plans, and details on co-curricular student activities and new student orientation.
