Lynn University today announced changes for the 2021–22 academic year following a successful transition during the pandemic. The university will continue the block schedule format it launched in Fall 2020 for undergraduate day students and simplify the academic calendar so that all terms take place concurrently.
"This year we reimagined everything from classroom schedules and course delivery methods to campus tours," said President Kevin M. Ross. "Education has always demanded bold and persistent experimentation, and this year has only served to accelerate our learning curve. It’s up to higher education to continue to invest and innovate for the best experience possible."
Lynn's block schedule format for undergraduate programs divides the traditional 16-week semester into four, four-week sessions. The multiple sessions allow students to control their schedules, and for the university to quickly switch to remote learning, if necessary.
"We now have enough data to tell us that these changes made a positive difference for many students," said Vice President for Academic Affairs Katrina Carter-Tellison. "Absenteeism declined and average grades improved in Fall 2020 compared to the Fall 2019 semester without block scheduling."
A survey also found that the majority of students preferred block scheduling over the traditional format.
Based on faculty and student feedback, Lynn refined the block scheduling format for the 2021–22 academic year. Courses, such as chemistry, calculus, and certain performance-based courses, may span two or four sessions to be offered in an eight- or 16-week format. January Term (J-Term) 2022 will extend from three to four weeks and run concurrently with Spring Session A. All online and graduate terms will be eight weeks long, with the exception of a seven-week Summer II term.
Furthermore, the university is simplifying the academic calendar so that all terms, including online and graduate, start and end at the same time. Fall 2021 classes will begin Aug. 23; winter break will take place Dec. 13–Jan. 7; and the Spring 2022 semester will run Jan. 10 through May 6. Spring break will take place March 8–11, 2022.
The full 2021–22 academic calendar will be available this summer.
