Wintersession Canceled Due to Budget Concerns

The University will no longer hold Wintersession, the two-week period before the spring semester during which free, noncredit workshops and other activities have been offered since 2021, due to budget cuts, according an Aug. 14 announcement. The Office of Campus Engagement, which organized Wintersession, will also close. Last January, more than 6,600 students, staff, and faculty registered for Wintersession events. 

In its announcement, the University cited “financial challenges spurred by the federal government’s reassessment of its relationship with American higher education, as well as broader economic uncertainty,” for the changes.  

The University did not immediately respond to a question about what will happen to the four staff members who currently work in the Office of Campus Engagement. 

“As we have had to focus on budget reductions, our decision-making has been guided by preserving the core student experience and student health, well-being, and safety,” W. Rochelle Calhoun, vice president for campus life, said in the announcement. 

“Princeton’s commitment to providing students with a world-class educational experience remains unchanged,” Dean of the College Michael Gordin said.  

As of the morning of Aug. 14, the Office of Campus Engagement’s website was still promoting Wintersession 2026, which was scheduled to take place Jan. 12-25. According to the office, 93% of last year’s Wintersession participants agreed that the event made them feel a sense of connection with others in the Princeton campus community, as well as a sense of belonging, and 96% agreed with the statement that “Wintersession positively contributed to their mental health.”  

Undergraduate dorms on campus will be closed to students for all of winter break except for those who receive approval to stay or return early, according to the University. Graduate dorms will remain open. 

The Office of Campus Engagement also facilitates or co-facilitates Community Care Day, Princeton Research Day, and the Princeton Peer to Peer Collective. The University said Community Care Day would continue but did not specify plans for other campus engagement programs and events.