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RECAST | In recognition of Yom Kippur, classes begin Tuesday September 29, 2020

by · September 28, 2020

From: McAvity, David <mcavityd@evergreen.edu>
Sent: Thursday, September 24, 2020 6:52 PM

 Greetings, Colleagues, 

As announced last spring, classes will begin next Tuesday rather than Monday (see the original message below).  This change reflects a recommendation by the Academic Deans that resulted in a decision by the Senior Leadership Team to no longer hold the first day of class on a major religious holiday.  This year, Yom Kippur begins the evening of Sunday, September 27 and continues to the evening of the Monday, September 28th. 

While the College will be open on Monday the 28th, there will be no instruction and limited co-curricular activities that day.  

Please join me in wishing our Jewish faculty, staff, and students celebrating Yom Kippur peace and good health during this holy time and throughout the year. 

Best wishes,  

David 

David McAvity 

Interim Provost & Vice President for Student and Academic Life 

** 

From: Drake, Jennifer  
Sent: Monday, May 18, 2020 4:34 PM 
To: All Staff & Faculty DL <AllStaffFaculty@evergreen.edu> 
Subject: Change to First Day of Classes, Fall 2020 

Dear faculty and staff colleagues, 

This coming fall, classes will begin on Tuesday, September 29, 2020*.  This change will affect all Evergreen undergraduate and graduate students, across all programs and sites and was first announced at a winter quarter faculty meeting, but our email was delayed. 

This change results from the Academic Deans and Senior Leadership Team deciding that for any given quarter, we will no longer schedule the first day of class on a major religious holiday. In 2020, the Jewish holiday of Yom Kippur begins in the evening of September 27, and continues to the evening of September 28.  

The first day of class has greater stakes for student attendance than any other day of the quarter. Students make decisions about the suitability of the class or program, and faculty often decide how many and which students they can enroll, based on first day attendance. Missing the first day of class can therefore result in more serious challenges to student success.  As such, classes and essential programming will commence on September 29th. 

The new first day of classes will automatically be updated in Schedule Evergreen. There will be secondary effects to Orientation, student programming, Residential and Dining Services, and other offices on campus. 

While classes will not begin until Tuesday, the remainder of the College will be operational on Monday, September 28. For systems and accounting purposes, the official quarter start and end dates will remain 9/28/20 – 12/18/20. 

Questions about the change can be directed to deans@evergreen.edu. 

In the spirit of religious inclusion, we also wish our Muslim community members Ramadan Mubarak. 

Best,  

Jen Drake, Provost and Vice President for Student and Academic Life 

Therese Saliba, Interim Vice President for Inclusive Excellence and Student Success 

* Note that for systems and accounting purposes, the official quarter start and end dates will remain 9/28/20 – 12/18/20. 

Jennifer Drake, PhD | Provost and Vice President for Student & Academic Life 

she/her pronouns 

3805 Library, The Evergreen State College 

2700 Evergreen Pkwy NW, Olympia, Washington 98505 

(360) 867-6400  I  drakej@evergreen.edu 

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