Spring classes delayed by one week in response to increase of positive COVID cases

NKU President Ashish Vaidya announced Tuesday morning in an email that the start of spring classes are now delayed a week, making the new start date Tuesday, Jan. 18 following Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

Much anticipation surrounded this announcement as Vaidya posted on his Twitter Monday that an announcement would be sent out regarding spring classes.

The decision to move back the start date of spring classes comes from an alarming increase in the amount of positive COVID cases (driven by the newer Omicron variant) and the highest regional transmission rate seen yet throughout the area according to the email.

“Current regional case information is eye-opening, with record infections of 120 per 100,000 per day and higher throughout Kentucky and Greater Cincinnati. The regional transmission rate has risen to 1.3, which is also as high as we have seen. In order to keep everyone as safe as possible, we will delay the start of classes for spring by one week,” the email states.

This delay in the start of classes has now pushed back the week of final exams to the week after Spring 2022 commencement, in which Summer 2022 classes will need to be adjusted as well.

“With that change, our spring schedule matches most of the other Kentucky universities’ start dates. To account for the lost week, final examinations will occur the week after commencement. Summer sessions will also need to be adjusted. We will release a new, comprehensive spring and summer academic calendar soon,” Vaidya states in the email.

The university will open at noon today, however, move-in day has been delayed until Friday, Jan. 14, according to the email.

Vaidya states in the email that this delay is not a change of course delivery, but more of a way to “temporarily de-densify” campus as faculty and staff are encouraged to minimize in-person activities in their classes during the first two weeks of classes after Jan. 18.

The email encourages those who can get vaccinated to do so.

“It appears that illnesses from infection with Omicron are, at least for those who are vaccinated and boosted, significantly milder than prior variants. However, Omicron remains dangerous to the unvaccinated and those who haven’t received a third dose of the vaccines,” Vaidya states in the email. “We encourage everyone who can to get vaccinated and boosted as soon as they are able to do so. The vaccines have proven extraordinarily safe and highly effective in preventing serious COVID-19 illness. The indoor mask mandate will remain in effect.”

Vaidya encourages those with questions or comments to email Provost Matt Cecil at provost@nku.edu.