University of Florida leadership has approved last week’s Faculty Senate vote for UF not to observe Spring Break 2021, which would have been March 6-13, and extend winter break by one week with the spring semester beginning Jan. 11. 

A revised academic calendar for the spring semester has been posted at https://catalog.ufl.edu/UGRD/dates-deadlines/pdfs/calendar2021d.pdf 

The change was made in consultation with UF Health for the purpose of making the spring semester as successful and healthy as possible. The primary purpose is to avoid a situation in which students would travel in March, potentially become infected with COVID-19 and return to campus and the Gainesville community to spread the infection as occurred with the 2020 Spring Break.

In addition, should a spike in cases occur this winter as some experts predict, an extra week of break in January may provide more time for the surge to subside. Finally, should a vaccine become available this fall, the additional winter break time would allow more students to receive it.