Purdue Trustees Address Pandemic, to Cut Fall Breaks

(image courtesy: Purdue University/Dave Weigel)

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Purdue University intends to finish on-campus instruction for the fall semester by Thanksgiving and eliminate traditional fall breaks, according to initial proposals approved Thursday by the school’s board of trustees.

The board has approved a set of measures designed to prepare the school for the safe return of students and staff this fall, while also preparing for a possible return of COVID-19 or influenza.

While in-class instruction would end in late November, instruction would begin in August. But the institution did not give a specific start date.

Purdue’s proposal shows the balance of the semester to be completed remotely.

The procedures were recommended by the Safe Campus Task Force created by Purdue President Mitch Daniels.

“We are extremely grateful to the entire Purdue community, especially the Safe Campus Task Force, for its response thus far to this unprecedented challenge we are facing,” said Michael Berghoff, chair of the Board of Trustees.

The trustees approved a resolution authorizing the university’s leadership to take the necessary steps to keep the campus community safe, including:

• Reduce workspace density by 1/3 by requiring more administrative employees to work remotely.
• Establish and implement systematic testing and tracing regime for COVID-19.
• Add an annual influenza vaccination to the immunization requirements for enrolled students, faculty and staff as a condition of being on campus.
• Order, acquire and maintain at least a 90-day supply of critical equipment and PPE supplies.
• Identify and set aside a substantial number of rooms for the quarantining of those who may test positive for COVID-19 while on campus.

The board has another meeting set for May 26 to consider additional actions for the West Lafayette campus.

Click here to view the Purdue University COVID-19 response web page.