Dear Members of the Clark Community,

Last month we reached the one-year milestone of the pandemic, a time that has truly tested us — yet one that also proved how adeptly we can meet an extraordinary challenge.  

Today, with tremendous optimism, I am pleased to announce that Clark will be returning to fully in-person classes and on-campus activities this fall. 

To borrow a phrase from Provost Davis Baird, we expect to be engaging in “near-normal” operations beginning on August 1. The Fall 2021 academic calendar can be viewed here, and throughout the summer we will determine what precautionary measures may still be necessary for campus living and learning next semester. Ensuring our community’s health and safety is always our foremost priority and guides everything we do at Clark.

I share this news with appropriate humility, knowing that the unpredictable nature of the virus, and its variants, can force a change in our plans. We continue to closely monitor COVID transmission rates on campus, in Worcester, and across Massachusetts, and we are in frequent consultation with health officials at the local and state levels. As of today, we are confident that the federal government’s robust vaccination program — which will be available to everyone in the state by April 19 — coupled with projections of declining transmission rates, will allow us to open in the fall under largely pre-pandemic conditions.

In the meantime, please remain vigilant about your own health and that of your campus neighbors. We are not out of the woods yet, which means that adhering to your testing regimen, wearing a mask, and maintaining physical distance are essential. Nothing in this regard has changed. 

Thank you for your continued resilience, your grace, and your flexibility over the past year. Your generosity of spirit has allowed us to thrive as a community under historically disruptive circumstances. I urge you to take pride in what we are accomplishing together, and join me in anticipating a healthy and productive fall semester.

Sincerely,

David Fithian ’87
President