Travel Guidance and Spring Academic Calendar

*Published on October 6, 2020*

Dear Northeastern University community:  

As Northeastern approaches one month into the fall term, we wish to thank all of the students, staff, and faculty who have followed our safety protocols to “Protect the Pack.” As the Thanksgiving recess approaches, here are the requirements we ask of community members if they travel. Please note that these are general travel and re-entry protocols, not only for Thanksgiving, and will remain in place until further notice.  

Travel Safety   

Northeastern’s Boston campus is always open through the Thanksgiving recess, this year November 25 to November 29, and we welcome students staying on campus. If you decide to travel, please be cautious. Wear a mask, practice safe distancing, wash your hands frequently, and minimize close contact with others—both during your travel and when you arrive at your destination. We encourage all community members to make use of Northeastern’s travel registry so you have access to travel support should you need it.  

Test Compliance  

If students, faculty or staff will miss a COVID-19 test due to travel, please make sure you switch your status to ‘Primarily Remote’ in the COVID-19 Test Scheduler. Similarly, on your return please reset to ‘Primarily In-Person’. 

Returning to Northeastern  

Faculty and staff: Faculty and staff who travel outside of the state will need to follow Massachusetts guidance on travel on their return. If they travel from a non-exempt state, they will need to quarantine until they receive a negative test result. Faculty and staff may come to campus for a COVID-19 test and should quarantine away from campus until they receive their result.  

Students:  Students who switch to ‘Primarily Remote’ due to travel will need to follow these requirements on returning to Boston, even if traveling from a lower-risk state:  

• Switch their status to ‘Primarily In-Person’ on the COVID-19 Test Scheduler. 
• Complete a COVID-19 test on arrival and quarantine until their first negative test result. Students are permitted to go out to pick up food, get testing or medical care, or use shared hall bathrooms or showers, but must otherwise stay in their room until they receive a negative result from the test.  
• Follow the regular three-day testing cadence to complete a test on day four. After the second negative test result, students can resume full campus activities including in-person class attendance and using facilities like Marino Recreation Center. 
• Students will then follow the three-day testing cadence for the duration of the fall term. 

Please note the term dates for your academic calendar as you decide whether to return to campus or remain home and take classes remotely through Hybrid NUflex. All final exams will be conducted online to provide flexibility for those who choose to remain remote for the remainder of the semester. 

Spring Academic Calendar  

After careful consideration, Northeastern will adjust the dates of the spring academic term.  

• The undergraduate and graduate academic terms will begin one week later than originally planned, on Tuesday, January 19, 2021, and will not include a spring break recess in March. 
• The CPS undergraduate and graduate terms will begin on Tuesday, January 19, 2021. The CPS undergraduate calendar will not include a spring break recess in March. 
• The School of Law will adjust its spring term calendar for certain programs. Please check the academic calendar later this month for further details. 
  

These adjustments are designed to promote the health and wellbeing of the entire community. Through the spring term, we will continue to deliver classes through Hybrid NUflex with reduced classroom density.  

Thank you, as always, for your extraordinary efforts to promote a healthy fall term for the Northeastern community.  

 

David Madigan
Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs 

 

Ken Henderson
Chancellor and Senior Vice President for Learning