DU leadership announced their formalized plan for the remaining 2020-2021 academic quarters on Oct. 23, including check-out and move-in guidelines for winter and spring breaks. In coordination with National Jewish Health, the DU COVID-19 task force believes these plans will ensure continued successful navigation of the coronavirus pandemic by taking into account “what went well and what could be [done] better” during the hybrid fall quarter.

As the university heads into the final weeks of the quarter, students living in DU residential buildings will be required to move out within 24 hours of their last class or, at the latest, by Nov. 25. Those who live in Centennial Halls, Johnson-McFarlane or Dimond Family Residential Village and have a pre-approved extenuating housing circumstance will be permanently moved to “an open space” that is traditionally open during winter break. 

This year, DU extended winter break into the first week of January. Classes will start on Jan. 11, and final examinations will take place during Week 10. There will be no finals week during both winter and spring quarter. To return to campus for winter quarter, residential students will be required to sign up for staggered move-in time slots which will be released on Nov. 16. These time slots will operate on a first-come, first-serve basis. Winter quarter move-in will take place between Jan. 7 and 10. 

The university outlined extensive measures for winter return-to-campus protocols but cautioned community members to keep in mind the ever-changing nature of the pandemic. Nevertheless, DU plans to model its winter quarter return after the successful move-in from fall quarter with particular emphasis on three components: quarantine, testing and vaccinations. 

All students, staff and faculty will be required to undergo a quarantine period of at least 10 days. Quarantine periods may start on or before Jan. 1 and extend until the first day of courses for residential students after move-in. 

All DU community members will also be required to provide a negative nasal swab from the PCR COVID-19 test collected during the declared quarantine period, similar to the fall return-to-campus protocols. Furthermore, all DU students, staff and faculty will be required to show proof of an influenza vaccine by Dec. 15 unless an exception has been approved. 

Following winter quarter, spring break will be held from Saturday, March 20 to Tuesday, March 30. Classes will resume on Wednesday, March 31 and cease on Tuesday, June 8. In-person commencement for undergraduates is planned for Saturday, June 12. 

The university’s move to Level Orange on Friday, Nov. 11 parallels the increasing worry of national health officials as the United States suffered its worst one-day COVID-19 infection rate since the pandemic’s start. However, university officials continue to remind community members that “DU commits to adjusting our plans, if and as needed, based on the latest public health ordinances and the needs of our community.”