MISSOULA — On Thursday, the University of Montana released its schedule for the fall semester, after considering ways to resume classes, while still accounting for impacts of the coronavirus pandemic.
With the new schedule, the semester will start on Wednesday, August 19 and conclude on Wednesday, November 25, the day before Thanksgiving.
UM President Seth Bodnar says the dates will allow students to travel and return to be with their families and not have to return to campus after Thanksgiving to finish the semester. The school believes that will help safety by cutting down on travel, and gives UM some leeway in scheduling classes, should there be another spike in COVID-19 in the fall.
“We are committed to keeping our students, faculty and staff as safe and healthy as possible,” UM President Seth Bodnar said in a University release. “The intention behind the adjusted dates is to eliminate the need to return to campus after Thanksgiving to complete the semester. We believe this will reduce the potential for travel-related COVID exposure.”
Bodnar says the schedule was worked out after consulting a broad group of campus leaders and medical experts. Plans are still being developed for any winter session classes, and what will happen with Commencement next spring.
Updates and other information are available on the UM Coronavirus Fall 2020 webpage at https://www.umt.edu/coronavirus/fall2020.php [link.mediaoutreach.meltwater.com].
