Graphic by Ashley Mowreader
Seaver students continue to trudge through fall semester, but administration is looking ahead to the future with plans for in-person classes as early as January.
Seaver Dean Michael Feltner shared finalized plans for rest of the academic calendar in a Sept. 15 email, including dates for the new January session, commencement and summer sessions.
“We are hoping and planning to resume in-person classes on all University campuses — Malibu and international programs — in the spring semester,” Feltner wrote. “At the same time, future uncertainty due to the COVID-19 pandemic requires that we plan for multiple course delivery scenarios.”
The academic calendar first shifted with the start of fall semester, with classes beginning two weeks earlier than usual to allow students to finish finals before Thanksgiving. Administration changed the calendar in hopes the adjusted dates would reduce travel for students taking classes in Malibu and allow time for the development of a COVID-19 vaccine by the start of the spring semester, according to a July 9 email from Feltner.
Spring semester will begin Feb. 8, 2021, and finals will end May 20, 2021. Administration also provided an updated academic calendar with additional details.
Notable changes to the calendar include four days of New Student Orientation, no spring break, and commencement plans for the classes of 2020 and 2021 on May 21 and 22, respectively.
“Given the uncertainty associated with the COVID-19 pandemic, we recommend that students and families delay booking non-refundable travel arrangements for the commencement ceremony until further updates are provided in early spring,” Feltner wrote.
Feltner also shared finalized January session dates. Due to the adjusted calendar, Pepperdine will offer this special January session in lieu of a May summer session. The term will begin Jan. 4, 2021 and conclude Jan. 29, 2021.
“At this time, our plan is to offer only online courses during the January session, but if conditions permit, we hope to offer some in-person classes, as well as undergraduate research, internship, and other similar special academic programs,” Feltner wrote.
Another anomaly of the January session is the tuition discount for students who choose to enroll. Courses will be priced at $250 per credit hour for full-time students, as opposed to the current $1,810 per-credit-hour tuition rate offered for summer sessions; however, there is a maximum of four credit hours available per student for the term.
“The college is hopeful that students use the January session to advance their academic success and accelerate their progress toward degree completion,” Feltner wrote.
Seaver’s June and July summer sessions dates remain unchanged.
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Email Ashley Mowreader: ashley.mowreader@pepperdine.edu
