FGCU President Mike Martin canceled spring break of 2021 due to Covid-19, but President Martin has a different approach this year.

FGCU was a part of more than two dozen spring break cancellations of schools across the United States for the 2021 spring semester. President Martin decided it was best to no longer have a spring break due to Covid-19 cases spiking last year.

“My team and I decided it would be best if we could complete the entire semester, rather than taking a week off,” President Martin said. “We consulted with local medical experts of Lee Health, and they agreed that students leaving and coming back would be much more likely to create a major spreader event.”

The Veoci app helped students to document symptoms they were experiencing. According to Student Health Services, their case management system is no longer going to use the app. After spring break this year if cases spike, FCGU will have to take precautions again.

“FGCU will have to engage in more vaccinations and go back to social distancing again,” President Martin said. “We must limit use of campus, like we did in the Fall of 2021.”

FGCU held vaccination stations for students and faculty throughout the school year.

“I meet with a group of people twice a week since the pandemic started to monitor circumstances and make sure cases are not rising,” President Martin said. “As of now, there are very few cases and not many people are in quarantine.”

Sophomore student Annie Doall was one of many students who did not have a spring break last year.

“Not having spring break affected me because I was not able to go home and see my family,” Doall said. “They are from New York, so I do not get to see them often.”

President Martin received backlash from students due to the cancellation of spring break. Not only did he want to protect the students, but the neighbors of FGCU too.

“No one had a break. Faculty did not, our neighbors did not and neither did I,” President Martin said. “I understand and get it, but at the same time I would also never cheat the students for what they pay for. Students do not pay for spring break, they pay for class credit hours,” President Martin said.

When FGCU had breaks during the school year such as Labor Day, the school experienced a rise of cases, according to President Martin.

“Honestly, even though we did not have spring break, I can see how us not having it would help the cases not rise,” Doall said.

According to the FGCU Covid-19 cases archive, there were 104 cases following Labor Day in the month of September 2020.

Covid-19 cases this year are not as bad as last year’s according to the archive. This allows students to have a spring break this semester.

“People need a break,” President Martin said. “We are onto a long semester, and it has been stressful. As you come up to the end of the semester, if you have a bit of relaxation and being recharged, it is good for you and your educational experience.”