Dear Horned Frogs,
I hope you are staying safe and well during this summer of social distancing. We miss you all so much that we are spending every waking moment preparing campus for your safe return to Texas Christian University in August.
In fact, we are so eager to have you back that I’m announcing today that we will start a week earlier on August 17. And we will end the on-campus portion of the semester before Thanksgiving on November 24. December 10 is the final deadline for grade submissions, graduate student defenses and other project work. We will end classes, final exams and other on-campus activities by November 24, the Tuesday before Thanksgiving.
This is exciting news, but will require some flexibility to achieve full academic progress in a compressed timeline. Ultimately, our goal is to reduce non-essential travel over the holidays and minimize time on campus during peak flu and cold season. To achieve this compressed schedule, stay within accreditation guidelines, and provide you with a productive semester, we will make the following adjustments: hosting classes on Labor Day; no fall break and the addition of two days of lectures, either on Saturdays or
online. In addition, we will honor and celebrate our December graduates at the Spring 2021 commencement. You will receive more detailed information for planning purposes. I believe this schedule will help keep us safe and you will enjoy a longer winter break as a result.
We launched a microsite today, which outlines our proactive plans to address safety, continuity and connectivity for our Horned Frog family during the pandemic. This site goes well beyond our COVID-19 crisis response microsite which you have all seen, and will provide information about our ongoing connected campus planning.
Later in June, we will be sending a student specific Return to Campus plan, which will delineate plans for social distancing, use of larger classrooms and outdoor spaces, enhanced cleaning protocols, and residence hall capacity – all developed using public health guidelines. These plans will be made successful by all of us making smart choices and using common sense. In the final analysis each member of the TCU community is first and foremost personally responsible for their health and well-being. As such they should always use good judgment in any and every activity they undertake. This is a personal responsibility which is assumed of everyone in this community.
We cannot wait to have you on campus, and hope that you are excited for an August start. You can expect additional details in the coming weeks.
Together, we will create a new way forward that is safe, flexible and delivers the TCU experience. You are the heartbeat of our campus, and it will once again feel like home when we are together.
Sincerely,
Victor J. Boschini, Jr.