Spring break extended two days to provide additional time to prepare for the transition to distance instruction and support faculty and staff adjusting to personal life disruptions.
Decisions on commencement ceremonies expected by April 15
Orono, Maine: The University of Maine System continues operations and will resume classes via distance instruction and other modalities on Wednesday, March 25. The two day extension of spring break will provide faculty and staff additional time to transition face-to-face classes to online and other instruction methods. It also provides faculty and staff with additional time to adjust to the many personal disruptions resulting from the coronavirus pandemic.
The University of Maine School of Law will resume classes March 23.
There are no other adjustments being made to the semester calendar at this time. Decisions on commencement ceremonies are expected by April 15.
“The University of Maine System is not stopping operations,” said Chancellor Dannel Malloy. “We will meet our teaching, research, and public service missions to the State of Maine which now include coordination with the Maine CDC and our healthcare systems to protect public health.
“Never in the history of the System have we seen a challenge such as that before us now. I am immensely proud of how we are rising to meet it together.”
Room and Board Adjustments and Rebates
The University of Maine System has committed to providing room and board adjustments for students who have vacated residence halls as part of the University effort to limit campus occupancy following spring break travel.
Approximately 90% of the University of Maine System’s 5,800 residential students will have moved out of their residence hall rooms by the end of spring break. Campus officials have been reviewing requests to remain in residence halls after spring break on a case-by-case basis and subject to self-isolation requirements based on travel history.
The adjustment and rebate guidance posted to the UMS Public Health Advisory webpage provides for an adjustment to students’ accounts based on an effective date of March 13, 2020.
Adjustments will be posted to the students’ existing account and will reduce the amount owed. If the adjustment results in a credit balance, refunds will be processed and disbursed to students.
The room and board adjustment process is expected to be completed by March 31, 2020. Students are urged to read the complete guidance and use the tools provided to enroll in direct deposit to expedite the receipt of refund dollars.
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Distributed 3/18/20