SYRACUSE, N.Y. (WSYR) — Syracuse University Chancellor Kent Syverud announced Monday that SU will begin its spring semester with in-person classes beginning February 8.

In an email to students, Syverud said starting the semester two weeks later than planned better positions the university to safeguard the health and safety of the campus community.

“First, it provides some distance between the expected post-holiday surge of cases and our return to campus,” Syverud said. “Second, it increases the possibility that some of our campus’ frontline workers will be vaccinated prior to the start of the semester. This includes our health care staff in the Barnes Center, who administer medical care to our students. The delayed start also gets us closer to the time when vaccines will be more widely available across the country.”

He says the decision was made in consultation with the county health department.

The spring semester will now conclude on May 21. The first day of move-in for the new semester will be February 1.

The chancellor says more information will be communicated in the coming days and weeks.