Coronavirus: Academic Decisions (2024)

Coronavirus
Coronavirus: Academic Decisions

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Coronavirus: Academic Decisions

Ohio State has adjusted a number of practices to advance our academic mission and protect the health and safety of students, faculty and staff in light of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. This page provides a summary of decisions and resources specific to the academic process. Please see the Safe and Healthy Buckeyes website for more information.

Also see our calendar of upcoming academic dates.

Teaching and Learning

Spring 2022and ongoing

Decisions related to distance learning, assessment, academic deadlines and other topics related to teaching, learning and research.
Topic	Key result(s)	Resource(s)
Faculty guidance for spring session	Faculty Guidance	Safe and Healthy Buckeyes Teaching page
Spring 2022 term	Information about Spring 2022	COVID-19 response update
Spring 2022 term	Instructional breaks	Calendar

Autumn 2020 - Spring 2021


Topic	Key result(s)	Resource(s)
Instructional breaks	Guidance on instructional breaks
Assessments	Midterm assessments encouraged	Resources
Autumn 2020 term	In-person instruction to resume this autumn; academic calendar adjusted	Transition task force
CarmenCanvas	Faculty should enable Carmen for all courses
Commencement	Commencement-related events
Course planning	Guidance on course planning for autumn 2020	Transition task force
English Proficiency	Graduate School to accept Duolingo Enlish Test in lieu of TOEFL through Sept. 1
Grading	New emergency grading system offers flexibility	Grading policy changes
Internet	Free and low-cost internet options listed
Orientation	First-year and transfer student orientation to be conducted online
Residency	ODHE offers increased flexibility to allow students to retain Ohio residency
SEIs	Statements added to Student Evaluations of Instruction for autumn 2020
Spring 2021 term	Instructional breaks extended for spring 2021	Calendar
Summer 2021 events	Guidance for summer events and programming
Thanksgiving break	Academic planning after the Thanksgiving break

Autumn 2021

Decisions related to distance learning, assessment, academic deadlines and other topics related to teaching, learning and research.
Topic	Key result(s)	Resource(s)
Fall reactivation	Fall reactivation message from President Johnson, Provost McPheron
Course planning	Guidance on course planning for autumn 2021

Decisions related to distance learning, assessment, academic deadlines and other topics related to teaching, learning and research.
Topic	Key result(s)	Resource(s)
Assessments	Resources offered for online assessments
CarmenCanvas	Faculty should enable Carmen for all courses
Events	University events cancelled through July 6
Gradeforgiveness	Deadline extended to April 17	Important dates (PDF)
Gradingpolicies	Extension of Pass/No Pass, Incomplete and Withdraw policies
Gradingpolicies	Graduate School: Extension of Pass/No Pass policy
Graduatedefenses	Graduate defenses can be conducted online
Instruction	All instruction moved online through end of spring 2020	Keep Teaching Website
Internet	Free and low-cost internet options listed
Libraries	All services provided virtually; campus facilities closed	Libraries COVID-19 Webpage
Spring 2020 term	Extension puts final classes on April 24, finals April 27 - May 1	Academic calendar
Spring 2020 commencement	Virtual commencement to be held May 3; Apple CEO Tim Cook to deliver address

Decisions related to distance learning, assessment, academic deadlines and other topics related to teaching, learning and research.
Topic	Key result(s)	Resource(s)
Assessments	Resources offered for online assessments
CarmenCanvas	Faculty should enable Carmen for all courses
English Proficiency	Graduate School to accept Duolingo Enlish Test in lieu of TOEFL through Sept. 1
Events	Certain university venues approved to host events under 100 people
Graduatedefenses	Graduate defenses can be conducted online
Internet	Free and low-cost internet options listed
Libraries	All services provided virtually; campus facilities closed	Libraries COVID-19 Webpage
Summer term 2020	Summer term moved online, start and end dates moved back one week	Academic calendar
Summer commencement	Virtual commencement will be held Aug. 9	Academic calendar

Travel and Study Abroad

Decisions related to university-sponsored travel by all members of the Ohio State community.
Topic	Key result(s)	Resource(s)
Domestic travel	Domestic travel limited to business essential; existing trips cancelled	FAQs
Domestic travel	“Business essential” and process for domestic travel defined	FAQs
International travel	All new travel suspended; existing trips cancelled	FAQs
Summer programs	All summer education abroad (OIA) programs cancelled	Important dates (PDF)

Faculty and Staff: Work and Career

Decisions related to working online, access to campus, promotion and tenure and other issues.
Topic	Key result(s)	Resource(s)
Academicbuildings	Columbus academic and administrative buildings locked
Career Roadmap	Implementation timeline extended six months	Website
Compensation	Pause to annual merit and compensation increases
Employment	All faculty and chair searches must be completed online	Contact Helen Malone
Enterprise Project	Implementation timeline extended six months	Website
Hiring	A temporary hiring pause has been implemented for most faculty, staff and student positions
Orientation	New Faculty Orientation to be held virtually in autumn 2020
Parking	CampusParc refunds available, parking location access expanded
Research	Only critical research that must be conducted in person allowed (PDF)	Website
Research	Research Recovery Plan for Staged Reopening maps out return to on-campus research
Tenure clock	Extension of tenure clock due to COVID-19	Form 116 (PDF)
Testing	Voluntary summer COVID-19 testing pilot program for employees returning to campus
Wellness	Resources offered to support mental health
Work from home	Flexibility at Work During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Academic Dates

Spring2021

This table lists many of the important dates and timelines that have changed for Spring 2021 as a result of COVID-19. The university continues to evaluate decisions to support public health.
Key date	Decision
Jan. 11	Spring 2021 semester begins; classes are virtual through Jan. 22
Jan. 18	Move-in day for students in residence halls
Jan. 25	Classes continue in all modes: in person, hybrid and online/distance learning
Feb. 23-34	Instructional break I; no classes
March 31-April 1	Instructional break II; no classes
April 2	Conversion day: Wednesday classes meet instead of Friday classes
April 23	Last day of classes
April 26-30	Spring term exams
May 9	Commencement

This table lists many of the important dates and timelines that changed during Spring 2020 as a result of COVID-19.
Key date	Decision
April 17	Student deadline for grade forgiveness petitions
April 17	Student deadline to invoke Pass/No Pass option or withdraw from a class. In either case, must be enacted by academic advisor.
April 17	Graduate final oral exams deadline for graduating students
April 24	Final day of spring 2020 classes
April 24	Graduate final theses/dissertations deadline for submission and approval by Graduate School
April 27	Finals begin for spring 2020
May 1	Finals end for spring 2020
May 1	Deadline for extension of tenure clock (for those with review scheduled for Autumn 2020/2020-21 academic year)
May 3	Spring commencement
May 8	Last day to submit grades
May 12	Graduate School end of semester deadline; students may graduate without summer enrollment

This table lists many of the important dates and timelines that have changed in the Summer and Autumn of 2020 as a result of COVID-19.
Key date	Decision
May 13	Summer term courses begin
May 15	Teaching Support Program completion deadline for compensation-eligible faculty
June 30	All university-sponsored international and non-essential domestic travel cancelled through this date.
June 30	Temporary hiring freeze in place through this date.
July 1	Deadline for unit schedulers to provide registrar with updated plans for course sections
July 6	All university events cancelled through July 6
July 22	Student deadline to complete course work from Spring 2020 incomplete classes
July 31	End of summer classes
August	All education abroad programs cancelled through summer 2020
Aug. 3	Summer finals start
Aug.5	Summer finals end
Aug. 9	Summer commencement
Aug. 25	Autumn term courses begin
Sept. 1	Kristina M. Johnson begins as Ohio State's 16th president
Sept. 7	Labor Day (university holiday; no classes)
Oct. 15-16	Classes in session (no Fall Break)
Nov. 11	Veterans Day (university holiday; no classes)
Nov. 22	In-person teaching ends for most classes; labs, studio, performance and clinical courses may continue
Nov. 25	Last day of in-person instruction
Nov. 30	Autumn classes resume in distance modes
Dec. 4	Autumn term courses end
Dec. 7	Autumn exams begin
Dec. 11	Autumn term exams end
Dec. 13	Autumn commencement
Jan. 3	Enterprise Project - Workday (HR and Payroll go live)
Jan. 7	Enterprise Project - Workday (Finance and Supply Chain go live)

General COVID-19 resources

INFORMATION AND GUIDANCE

TIPS, TOOLS AND STRATEGIES

HOW TO HELP