Spring break will remain on the calendar for 2021 at Illinois State University.
University officials announced Friday that an “overwhelming number” of faculty, staff and students who responded to a survey wanted the regular break preserved during the coronavirus pandemic.
The university's planning team had recommended canceling the spring break amid concern about travel during the break contributing to spread of the virus on campus.
The Bloomington Pantagraph reports, though, that the survey responses showed concern about mental health without the mid-semester break.
University spokesman Eric Jome said the school plans to increase testing following the March 6-14 spring break, focused on students who attend in-person or hybrid courses and those who work or live on campus. The majority of classes at Illinois State will be virtual this spring.
Jome said the university's board of trustees is set to consider spending $5.5 million for lab processing of saliva-based tests, the high profile approach used by the University of Illinois to limit spread of the coronavirus this fall.
The number of positive COVID-19 cases among Illinois State students peaked in early September at 869. On Friday, Illinois State reported 13 active cases.
