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Video related to this article is available below.Issue date: 10/12/07 Section: News
Come fall 2009, freshmen and sophomores can kiss their four-day break goodbye
University, students decide to cut part of semester vacation
Priyanka Dev
As sophomores and freshmen leave today for a four-day break, they should count their blessings: Come fall 2009, fall break will be one day shorter.
The Council of Undergraduate Deans made the decision last May to shorten the break in 2009 to one day in order to squeeze a full 13 weeks of classes into the fall semester.
The Council comprises the four undergraduate deans, administrators and student-government representatives.
In 2009, Labor Day weekend falls later than usual on Sept. 7, and, if the calendar were left untouched, final exams would run through Dec. 23 - a mere two days before Christmas.
In 2004, finals ran through Dec. 22, and Rob Nelson, the associate director at the Provost's Office, said he received many complaints from students and staff members.
"It was frustrating to have to wait around 'till the 23rd to take exams," he said.
He added that some staff members, such as those who work in the College Houses, were forced to work on Dec. 24 to complete the closeout process before the start of vacation.
To avoid cutting a day off from fall break, the Council discussed changing the start of fall semester to the week before Labor Day or shortening reading days.
"Fall break is a nice feature, and everyone enjoys it," said College senior Elizabeth Slavitt, the chairwoman of the Student Committee on Undergraduate Education, which played a large role in the decision-making process.
However, "cutting down on reading days sends a message that preparing for finals is not as important," she said.
The Council will discuss the option of starting the 2010-2011 academic year earlier; Labor Day 2010 falls on Sept. 6.
A final decision on the plan for 2010 should be out by May or the summer of 2008, Nelson said.
"We arrived at the current 2009 calendar after extensive consultations with faculty, staff and student leaders," associate provost for education Andy Binns said.
"Starting the school year earlier could have been feasible for 2009, but there was opposition," Slavitt added.
She said that a "vocal minority of faculty" expressed that Labor Day was "their last hurrah of summer" before classes started, and the idea of changing this was not appealing.
Opposition to the earlier start date also stemmed from financial considerations - students living off campus may have to pay more rent if school started earlier, for example.
Teaching assistants would also have to get back to campus even earlier in order to prepare for the start of school.
In general, sophomores and freshmen said they are not too upset about the upcoming shorter break since fall break is already short.
"This turns it into more of a long weekend than a break," Nelson said. "But I think people will still make plans to do something off campus."
The Council of Undergraduate Deans made the decision last May to shorten the break in 2009 to one day in order to squeeze a full 13 weeks of classes into the fall semester.
The Council comprises the four undergraduate deans, administrators and student-government representatives.
In 2009, Labor Day weekend falls later than usual on Sept. 7, and, if the calendar were left untouched, final exams would run through Dec. 23 - a mere two days before Christmas.
In 2004, finals ran through Dec. 22, and Rob Nelson, the associate director at the Provost's Office, said he received many complaints from students and staff members.
"It was frustrating to have to wait around 'till the 23rd to take exams," he said.
He added that some staff members, such as those who work in the College Houses, were forced to work on Dec. 24 to complete the closeout process before the start of vacation.
To avoid cutting a day off from fall break, the Council discussed changing the start of fall semester to the week before Labor Day or shortening reading days.
"Fall break is a nice feature, and everyone enjoys it," said College senior Elizabeth Slavitt, the chairwoman of the Student Committee on Undergraduate Education, which played a large role in the decision-making process.
However, "cutting down on reading days sends a message that preparing for finals is not as important," she said.
The Council will discuss the option of starting the 2010-2011 academic year earlier; Labor Day 2010 falls on Sept. 6.
A final decision on the plan for 2010 should be out by May or the summer of 2008, Nelson said.
"We arrived at the current 2009 calendar after extensive consultations with faculty, staff and student leaders," associate provost for education Andy Binns said.
"Starting the school year earlier could have been feasible for 2009, but there was opposition," Slavitt added.
She said that a "vocal minority of faculty" expressed that Labor Day was "their last hurrah of summer" before classes started, and the idea of changing this was not appealing.
Opposition to the earlier start date also stemmed from financial considerations - students living off campus may have to pay more rent if school started earlier, for example.
Teaching assistants would also have to get back to campus even earlier in order to prepare for the start of school.
In general, sophomores and freshmen said they are not too upset about the upcoming shorter break since fall break is already short.
"This turns it into more of a long weekend than a break," Nelson said. "But I think people will still make plans to do something off campus."
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ColumbiaChronicle
Patrick Algrim
posted 10/15/07 @ 3:48 PM EST
That sucks, Columbia is still enjoying their 4 days!
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