GREENEVILLE – Tusculum University will protect the Pioneer family and the community as much as possible from the coronavirus by revising the academic calendar to reduce the amount of times students need to depart the campus and return in the fall and spring semesters.
With the modifications, Tusculum will still complete two full semesters and provide an opportunity for students to live again on campus and experience extracurricular opportunities. University leaders have developed the plan after extensive internal discussion and consultation with colleges and universities throughout the Southeast.
Key elements of the new schedule include:
- Starting the fall semester Monday, Aug. 17, a week earlier than originally scheduled
- Beginning the spring semester Monday, Jan. 25, a week later than planned
- Not having students return to campus after the Thanksgiving holiday break
- Holding the fall graduation ceremony Saturday, Nov. 21
- Conducting all final exams for the fall semester online
- Eliminating the two-day fall break and the weeklong spring break
“As we deliver an excellent Christian-based education rooted in civic engagement, we are focused at all times on the safety of our students, faculty and staff,” said Dr. Scott Hummel, Tusculum’s president. “Tusculum has developed a solution in this new calendar that will return many of the elements that make a residential campus so enriching for student growth. At the same time, it places considerable emphasis on safety for students and the rest of the Tusculum family.”
Tusculum’s Office of Student Affairs is investing significant time this summer developing programs for the fall and spring semesters that will further enhance the collegiate experience of students and give them time away from their studies to relax.
To view the calendar, please visit https://web.tusculum.edu/academics/registrar/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/2020-21-Academic-Calendar-2.pdf.
The changes to the academic calendar are one of the many ways Tusculum is taking health and well-being to the next level at its three locations as the university reopens in phases. Dr. Hummel appointed a Reopening Task Force, led by Doug Jones, vice president of athletics and university initiatives, to examine multiple facets of the university’s operations.
Jones is leading a multidisciplinary team that is formulating ways to create the safest environment possible in harmony with recommendations from the state of Tennessee and the federal government. Some changes already identified include purchasing sprayers to clean classrooms after each session and reducing the density in residence halls.
“We are excited to have students return in August and are confident we will have a productive academic year, with many new initiatives that will create an exciting atmosphere on campus,” said Dr. Tricia Hunsader, Tusculum’s provost and vice president of academic affairs. “Our students bring considerable energy to Tusculum with their desire to expand their knowledge and discover their talent with the help of our outstanding faculty. We are ready to provide that environment while keeping our eye on safety at all times.”