Le Moyne to delay start of spring semester by two weeks to Feb. 8

SYRACUSE, N.Y. — Le Moyne College has decided to delay the start of its spring semester to Feb. 8, based on the ongoing pandemic and “projections made by health experts.”

In a message posted on the school’s website, Joseph Marina, acting president of Le Moyne, said the college believes “it is prudent to delay the start of the spring semester by two weeks to provide an environment that is as safe as possible for all members of the campus community.”

The first day of instruction for undergraduate courses will be Feb. 8. Students living on campus will receive a separate email from Le Moyne, instructing them on how to request a date and time for their arrival. The dates will fall between Feb. 5 and Feb. 7 in most cases.

At the same time, Le Moyne will provide all students more information about the COVID-19 testing plan for the semester, including the required pre-arrival COVID-19 test.

Marina also noted that graduate programs in physician-assistant studies, occupational therapy, education leadership, nursing, executive leadership, and the new MBA degree programs in analytics and leadership will begin classes as currently scheduled. Instruction for all other graduate programs will begin on Feb. 8.

The delayed start date means other changes to the spring semester academic calendar. The last day of classes for the semester will be Monday, May 17 and final exams will conclude on Tuesday, May 25.

As announced previously, the calendar will not include a mid-semester break as the college tries to “minimize risks” that accompany traveling away from campus. And, at this point, Le Moyne hasn’t made a decision on the dates and venue for its commencement ceremonies, Marina noted.

As in the fall semester, all students living on campus or attending in-person classes will be required to present a negative COVID-19 test upon arrival to campus and prior to beginning classes. The test must be a viral test or rapid antigen test, and not an antibody test, the school said. Specific details about the testing protocols will be posted on Le Moyne’s COVID-19 resource page.

All protocols followed in the fall will continue for the spring semester, including the use of face coverings, social distancing, regular surveillance testing, hybrid instruction, and reduced density in campus facilities, Marina wrote.