This fall semester, students do not have to wait until Thanksgiving for a break from their hectic class schedules. The University has decided to create Fall Weekend Break from October 14 to 16, which results in the cancellation of Friday classes.
Some students question why the University has scheduled this three-day break when several students do not have Friday classes. Residence halls will be closed during this break and all students must leave campus unless they are granted permission to stay.
Mary Anne Nagy, Vice President for Student and Community Services, explained the University’s intention in incorporating the new break into this year’s schedule. “The fall break is intended to help break up the long length of time from the start of school to Thanksgiving,” she said. “We have seen an increase in roommate conflicts, behavioral issues, and illnesses; we think that this break will help with these issues.”
In past years, the University had not incorporated any days off in its fall semester schedule until Thanksgiving Break.
Students who reside on campus agreed and disagreed with some of the reasons that Nagy gave as to the necessity of the break. “Personally I have not seen too many roommate conflicts this semester,” said Ashlyn Holliday, Elmwood Hall Resident Assistant.
“There is, however, a crazy amount of sick students in my building. I think this ‘fall break’ will be good for the students to get off campus and clear their heads, especially before midterms start.”
Kristina Capriotti, a sophomore, lives on campus. “I think the only issue is the amount of people on campus that are sick,” she said.
One issue associated with the break that has some students upset is the planned closing of residence halls and other facilities, such as the dining hall. Students are required to leave during the break unless they have permission to stay from the Office of Residential Life. For example, out-of-state students and student athletes may stay on campus.
Capriotti said that she does not favor the idea of the new break which will leave her without a place to sleep.
“I think this break is a total inconvenience,” she said. “I live about two hours from campus and don’t have my car here. I don’t have a ride home for the weekend, so I have to crash on my friend’s
H o l l i d a y added that she would have stronger support for the new break if it included more than one day of cancelled classes. “I think this Fall Break is an excellent idea, although I feel like it would have more of an impact on the students’ schedules if maybe two days of class were cancelled, or even if there was a two day break in the middle of the week,” she said. “That would make for a more exciting fall break.”
However, the reason that the break includes one day of cancelled class is to keep the University’s academic schedule on pace in light of the upcoming holiday season, Nagy said. “The intention is to have a break each year as long as the schedule allows and it does not push final exams too close to the Christmas holiday,” Nagy said.
According to the Office of Residential Life’s Facebook page, all residence halls and apartments will be closing on Thursday, October 13 at 7:30 pm and will reopen on Sunday, October 16 at noon. Requests to reside on campus during the break were due by Friday, October 7.
