April 28, 2021
As we approach the end of the spring semester, excitement is growing. Last fall when we announced we would be back on campus with online and in-person classes and students living in residence halls, skeptics doubted that our plan would work. But you proved them wrong, taking care of yourselves and others.
Thank you for all you've done to follow our guidelines with masks, physical distancing, mitigation testing, and other protocols. It's been a long year, but together we thrived.
This summer, classes will be offered on campus and online as they were this spring. Looking ahead and considering the progress we've made, especially with faculty, staff, and student vaccinations, we are moving toward a more normal 2021-22 academic year starting this fall, and I am excited to welcome you back to campus in August.
In surveys and other feedback, we have heard how important breaks are during the semester, and you can expect the return of holidays and breaks in the upcoming academic year:
- Labor Day Holiday: Monday, September 6, 2021
- Fall Break: Friday, October 8, 2021
- Thanksgiving Break: Monday, November 22 through Sunday, November 28, 2021
- Martin Luther King Jr. Day: Monday, January 17, 2022
- Spring Break: Monday, March 14 through Sunday, March 20, 2022
Thanks to your diligence and collective effort, we can now do more than dream of an academic year where we sit side by side in class, celebrate campus traditions, immerse ourselves in life-changing research, and build friendships that will last a lifetime. We may even be able to dedicate that new Jaguar statue that has been waiting patiently for our return to campus for it to find its spot.
To make these dreams a reality, we need your help getting vaccinated. Safe and effective vaccines have helped stem the spread of COVID-19, saving countless lives in the process. Thanks to them we can envision a much more normal future.
IUPUI faculty, staff, and students can schedule a vaccination appointment on campus by texting APPT to 317-518-7003 with your name and phone number, and a staff member will follow up. You can also schedule an appointment at other convenient locations within Marion and surrounding counties by looking for a text from 45179 or an email from noreply@coronavirus.in.gov, which will contain a scheduling link unique to you.
We've come this far together. Let's get vaccinated and close the book on this pandemic.
Sincerely,
Nasser H. Paydar
Chancellor