With the start of the new year comes the beginning of a brand new semester at Kean. The Spring 2020 semester is an opportunity for students at Kean to start fresh and begin to set new goals, achieve new heights or maintain the great progression they have already been on during their college careers. As with any semester, there are some dates that all students should be aware of before heading into it.

As students start the semester, many engage with their course loads in a variety of different approaches. It is important to know the limitations of adding and dropping courses, as it could potentially affect one's financial aid, scholarships or status as a student. Students who are taking a course load of 12 credits or more are considered to be full-time students. Students taking fewer than 12 credits are categorized as part-time students, and cannot qualify for the same financial aid packages.

The last day to add or drop classes with a 100 percent refund and no withdrawal (W) grade is Jan. 28. A "W" grade is a mark on a student's transcript that shows that they had been enrolled in a course, but at some point had withdrawn from that course. W grades do not count against a student's grade point average (GPA).

• The last day to drop a course with a 75 percent refund is Feb. 4
• The last day to drop a course with a 50 percent refund is Feb. 11
• The last day to drop a course with a "W" grade and no refund is April 9

For the Spring 2020 semester, there are a few dates on which the university will be closed for different holidays, and, of course, for Spring Break. Kean University will be closed the following dates:

• Presidents' Day, Feb. 17
• Spring Break, March 9 to 15
• Easter Recess, April 10 to 12

At the end of every semester, there are days where the university switches its schedule to compensate for the dates missed throughout the semester, due to holidays and other school closures. This is to give all classes an equal number of class meetings.

• Tuesday, May 5 classes will follow a Friday Schedule
• Wednesday, May 6, classes will follow a Monday Schedule

For a more detailed list of dates, students can check Kean's 2019-2020 Academic Calendar.

Other than the dates listed, there is also a variety of events happening this semester. Many Kean University clubs and organizations are working every week to produce events for the community. Here is a short list of some of the events to look forward to this semester:

• Meet the Greeks, Jan. 30
• Black History Month Kickoff, Feb. 3
• Student Employment Expo, Feb. 4
• Kean Dance Marathon, April 17
• Research Days, April 28 to 29

For more events, students can check Cougar Link.

As we anticipate all of the events and activities going on during the Spring semester, for some Kean students, it will be their last semester here at Kean. The undergraduate and graduate commencements will be taking place after the end of the Spring semester. The Graduate Commencement will take place May 19, and the Undergraduate Commencement will take place May 21. The speakers for each commencement have yet to be announced. If this is one's last semester at Kean, it is critical that all seniors are going through the graduation application processes correctly to ensure a May graduation.

Good luck, Cougars!