A Message to Returning Students from Provost Ann E. Cudd - June 8, 2020

June 8, 2020

Dear Pitt Students:

As we look ahead to welcoming you back you to campus in August, we have been diligently forging ahead to determine the very best ways to accomplish that.

Though we are still experiencing the uncertainty of the pandemic’s course, I want to provide an update on our plans for the Fall semester—all with the health and safety of the entire community as our priority.

We are hard at work planning a safe, staged arrival for move-in to reduce crowding and to facilitate health and safety procedures:

  • Move-in will take place August 13 through August 16, 2020.
  • Welcome Week is scheduled for August 16 through August 18, 2020.

Along those same lines, we will be taking steps to de-densify our residence halls, dining halls, and classrooms under the expert guidance of health and environmental safety professionals. Taking such measures will go a long way to help keep everyone safe and ready to experience the best semester possible.

Our residence halls will be open and we will accommodate all those students who made housing deposits by the deadline. We will be communicating more details soon.

We are also building flexible course delivery methods to enable us to respond quickly and flexibly to changing circumstances should they arise and to allow students who are unable to attend class in person to continue their studies remotely if they wish or if their personal circumstances require it.

An important note: As is the case for move-in, classes will also begin a few days earlier than past years—and we have made some other calendar adjustments:

  • Fall term classes will begin on August 19, 2020 and end November 20, 2020.
  • Classes will take place on Labor Day, September 7, 2020.
  • Students will not return to campus after the Thanksgiving break.
  • There will be an extended final exam period for the Fall semester that includes the possibility of holding in-person exams on the Monday and Tuesday before Thanksgiving and holding remote exams the week after Thanksgiving.

We will have much more information to share in the coming weeks. In the meantime, thank you for your patience and determined spirit as we travel this unusual terrain together.

Hail to Pitt!

Ann E. Cudd
Provost and Senior Vice Chancellor

View Vice Provost and Dean and Students Kenyon Bonner's email sharing the Provost's message »