Buy Photo
Much of the New Mexico State University campus sits quiet after all classes were transitioned to fully online due to the COVID-19 pandemic in this Sun-News file photo. After canceling spring break, university officials are planning for a more “conventional” semester for fall 2021. (Photo: Miranda Cyr/Sun-News)
LAS CRUCES – New Mexico State University has faced a year of adaptations to ensure the safety of staff and students by pushing for increased online learning opportunities amidst the COVID-19 pandemic.
The university announced Nov. 2 that its spring break would be canceled in order to reduce the risk of a potential spike in COVID-19 cases that often come with travel and gatherings.
“We realize that spring break provides a valuable opportunity to rest, recharge and catch up on both energy and schoolwork,” stated NMSU Provost Carol Parker in a memo to the university community. “Spring break is prime time for vacation travel, parties and relaxing with friends and family, so it’s also prime time for spreading COVID-19.”
More NMSU news: Three New Mexico State University regents appointed by Gov. Lujan Grisham
Instead of a full week off, the university started three days later than normal, gave students President’s Day off Feb. 15 — which they normally wouldn’t have — and have a scheduled day off on Tuesday, March 23, totaling the five days off that spring break provides.
Spring break would have been the week of March 22.
“We had to make a decision on spring break back in the October/November timeframe of 2020,” said NMSU spokesman Justin Bannister. “At that time, during the pandemic, last October and November, Doña Ana County was getting 100, 200, 300 cases a day of diagnosed COVID-19 cases.”
Bannister said the decision to cancel spring break was made in the best interest of the health and well-being of students and the NMSU community.
What’s in store for fall?
Similar to the decision made to cancel spring break, the university wanted to notify students and staff that it is anticipating a “conventional” fall semester months in advance.
Bannister explained that a conventional fall semester means that there will be more opportunities for students to attend in-person classes.
Buy Photo
New Mexico State University aims for a “conventional” fall semester. (Photo: Las Cruces Sun-News)
“Our goal is… (that) our mix of online and in-person classes will look a whole lot more like they did back in the fall of 2019, not to fall 2020,” Bannister said.
About 9 percent of the students at the main campus started out the fall 2020 semester taking fully face-to-face courses, compared to the 52 percent of students who took fully in-person classes in fall 2019.
More NMSU news: NMSU head coach Chris Jans talks WAC tournament
Bannister added that along with more face-to-face courses, the university is aiming to have more on-campus activities for students to participate in, including on-campus athletics.
“The best way to help everybody get to a more normal environment is for everyone to register for the COVID-19 vaccination on the state’s website — and once you’re contacted, to go in and get that vaccine,” Bannister said. “We encourage all of our students to do that.”
Although the university’s goal for fall is a more normal semester, Bannister said NMSU will continue to monitor COVID-19 cases in the county and will follow public health advisories.
Miranda Cyr, a Report for America corps member, can be reached at [email protected] or @mirandabcyr on Twitter. Show your support for the Report for America program at https://bit.ly/LCSNRFA.
Others are reading:
Read or Share this story: https://www.lcsun-news.com/story/news/education/2021/03/19/nmsu-spring-break-2021-cancelled-along-with-conventional-fall-semester-new-mexico/4747603001/
