University administrators announced on Thursday that classes for the spring term will begin on January 22, while advising all students to plan to be back on campus by January 20 “as a precaution” to accommodate potential travel delays, health checks and housing move-in logistics. The guidance, sent in an email to students and posted on the institution’s website, reflects mounting concern among officials about winter storms, airline cancellations and ongoing complications for international travel.

“We want students to have sufficient time to complete arrival testing, move into residence halls and settle before classes begin,” said university spokeswoman Sarah Lee in an interview. “Arriving by the 20th reduces stress for students and staff and allows us to manage any unforeseen disruptions without affecting academic continuity.”

For many students the request is practical advice; for others it is a significant imposition. International students, who must navigate visa appointments, unpredictable flight schedules and often greater expense to change itineraries, said the two-day buffer could be costly or insufficient. “My visa interview wasn’t until mid-January and flights are very expensive if I book to arrive earlier,” said Amina Rahman, a graduate student from Bangladesh. “Asking us to be back by the 20th feels like it doesn’t account for where we’re coming from.”

Immigration lawyers cautioned that the university’s timeline interacts with federal rules governing student visas. Under the Student and Exchange Visitor Program, F-1 students must maintain enrollment and cannot begin classes entirely remotely after certain deadlines, though DHS guidance in recent years has offered some flexibility. “Universities are trying to strike a balance between compliance and compassion,” said Daniel Ortiz, an immigration attorney in Newark. “Short notice, however, can worsen existing barriers for students whose consular appointments or flights are delayed.”

The messaging also illuminates the fragility of travel infrastructure in the face of increasingly volatile weather patterns. Airline cancellations and capacity reductions since the pandemic have made last-minute adjustments more expensive and difficult. State transportation officials have noted that Amtrak and New Jersey Transit have contingency plans for storms, but those services can still be severely disrupted, especially for students returning from other states or countries.

Student groups urged the university to consider exemptions and additional support. The International Student Association requested greater flexibility for remote participation in the first week and asked for emergency funds to cover sudden travel changes. “This affects students differently depending on their financial and geographic circumstances,” said ISA president Marcus Chen. “We’re asking the administration for clear accommodations and financial assistance where needed.”

The university said it would offer limited short-term housing for students who arrive early and was coordinating with campus health services to provide on-site testing and quarantine options if necessary. Officials also said academic departments had been encouraged to prepare hybrid options in case a segment of the student population could not make the suggested return date.

The episode highlights deeper tensions in higher education planning when global mobility remains uneven: institutions must protect academic calendars and regulatory compliance while accommodating a diverse student body whose lives span borders and time zones. As universities nationwide finalize spring term plans, many face the same calculus — and the same questions about how much flexibility they owe students confronting real-world obstacles to simply getting back to campus.