Courses and Registration
Once again, Arts and Sciences and Engineering courses will be offered in various formats: some will focus on in-person lectures and discussions, others will be offered fully virtually, and many will have a hybrid or multiple-modality model, combining a mix of remote and in-person instruction. Virtual learning may be available either synchronously – live, with students all participating at the same time – or asynchronously, enabling students to participate at a time that works best for them. The studio arts curriculum offered by SMFA at Tufts will continue to mix in-depth virtual instruction with options for students either to have access to studios and facilities in-person or receive supplies and equipment at home to complete coursework.
Spring classes will be available to search in SIS on November 2, including each course’s delivery method (in-person, hybrid/dual modality, virtual). Registration for Spring 2021 courses will be available through SIS in mid-November as shown in the academic calendar.
A commitment to health and safety
Your health, safety, and well-being, as well as that of others at Tufts and in our larger communities, are paramount. Nothing has been more important in our decision-making about our plans for the Spring.
Should you decide to attend in person this spring, you will be required to join us in committing to our health and safety protocols. In particular, the 24/7 masks requirement, physical distancing expectation, mandatory COVID testing, daily symptom screening, and the requirement to have no large social gatherings will all remain Tufts policy for the entire academic year, and possibly longer.
All the policies in the Fall 2020 Campus Guide for Students carry forward to the Spring term. We strongly encourage you to review the guide, which includes important information about campus health and safety protocols, housing and dining, academic life, and more.
Arrival testing, quarantine, and dates
Once we know your intentions for the Spring, we will share more details about the arrival-testing procedure, quarantine for students returning to campus, and move-in dates. We will once again be asking out-of-region students to arrive earlier than in-region students so that they can complete their testing and quarantine periods first. Out-of-region students will arrive between January 19 and 23; in-region students will arrive between January 26 and 29.
Campus housing
If you currently have on-campus housing and plan to return for the spring semester, you will be able to keep your current room and are guaranteed on-campus housing. No action is needed to stay in your current assignment.
If you were not in-person during the fall semester but would like to apply for campus housing, log into the housing portal in SIS to complete an application for spring 2021 housing. This application is due by November 9, 2020.
Please note that the housing portal can only accommodate a set number of users at a time. If you have trouble logging on, please try to access it again at another time.
If you have a housing assignment for the Spring semester and decide you do not want to live on campus, you can change your mind without a financial penalty if you let us know by November 9, 2020. Visit the housing portal in SIS to complete the housing form if you no longer need housing for the Spring.
Final thoughts
As we make plans for the spring, there is much to consider during the remainder of the fall. If you are currently in-person, we will soon be asking you to share your plans for Thanksgiving and the end of the semester, and we look forward to sharing the Thanksgiving holiday with many of you. As a reminder, if you wish to travel during the Thanksgiving break, you will be required to complete the fall semester remotely. More information about the University’s plans for the holiday will be shared soon.
We very much hope that you will decide to return to campus this Spring. We are available to answer any questions you have about the coming semester and to assist you in your decision-making.
Although this is a deeply challenging moment in global history, we have faith in the collective strength of the Jumbo community.
Sincerely,
James M. Glaser, Dean, School of Arts and Sciences
Jianmin Qu, Dean, School of Engineering
Nancy Bauer, Dean, School of the Museum of Fine Arts at Tufts University
Robert G. Cook, Dean, Graduate School of Arts and Sciences
Karen Panetta, Dean, Graduate Education, School of Engineering
Camille Lizarríbar, Dean, Student Affairs and Chief Student Affairs Officer for AS&E
