YPSILANTI, Mich. – Eastern Michigan University students will be starting their Thanksgiving break two days earlier this year.
The Ypsilanti university is canceling classes on Monday, Nov. 23, and Tuesday, Nov. 24 in order to extend the holiday break and give students additional time to wellness, according to a release.
“This has been a challenging semester, particularly for our students. Simply put, our students need a break to rest and recharge. Instructors also may use the time to prepare for the rest of the semester. We encourage students to take full advantage of this extended recess by focusing on their physical and mental wellness," said Eastern Michigan University President James Smith in a release.
Students will now be on break from the end of the day on Friday, Nov. 20, through Monday, Nov. 30.
Smith urged students and EMU community members to engage in safe practices during the break, including avoiding social gatherings, practicing good hygiene and wearing face coverings.
Prior to leaving campus for their break, residential students will be offered free COVID testing.
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The EMU campus will be open and employees will continue working as scheduled on Monday, Nov. 23 and Tuesday, Nov. 24.
In an email, the university also informed students of the suspension of in-person classes due to Sunday’s statewide mandates on colleges and universities.
All classes will be online from Wednesday, Nov. 18 to Tuesday, December 8.