Will there be a Spring Break at Your place?

[Aster]

I'm not exactly sure how a university *saying that there won't be a Spring Break* will sometimes translate into students not *taking the expected Spring Break anyway*.

[downer]

One of my places cancelled Spring Break, but not Easter Break, which is only a couple of days anyway.

[Aster]

One of my places cancelled Spring Break, but not Easter Break, which is only a couple of days anyway.

Yeah, a U.S.-based institution might run into all sorts of potential religious discrimination complications if they messed with Good Friday.

[downer]

One of my places cancelled Spring Break, but not Easter Break, which is only a couple of days anyway.

Yeah, a U.S.-based institution might run into all sorts of potential religious discrimination complications if they messed with Good Friday.

Really? I think my community college ignores Easter altogether. And other all religious holidays. But there's always a mandatory clause in the syllabus about religious holidays, which no students have ever contacted me about.

[Aster]

One of my places cancelled Spring Break, but not Easter Break, which is only a couple of days anyway.

Yeah, a U.S.-based institution might run into all sorts of potential religious discrimination complications if they messed with Good Friday.

Really? I think my community college ignores Easter altogether. And other all religious holidays. But there's always a mandatory clause in the syllabus about religious holidays, which no students have ever contacted me about.

Perhaps you are located in a more heathen state ha ha. Or you might not notice Good Friday since it's always on a Friday and a lot of Higher Ed institutions don't offer much in the way of Friday classes. Almost none of the faculty at Big Urban College teach Friday classes, so that particular holiday is a Nothing Burger for them.

It's the holidays that stay at fixed dates (e.g. Valentine's Day) or don't even use the regular calendar (e.h. Rosh HaShanah) that can create scheduling complications that vary from year to year. Sometimes they're on weekends. Sometimes they're not.

[downer]

One of my places cancelled Spring Break, but not Easter Break, which is only a couple of days anyway.

Yeah, a U.S.-based institution might run into all sorts of potential religious discrimination complications if they messed with Good Friday.

Really? I think my community college ignores Easter altogether. And other all religious holidays. But there's always a mandatory clause in the syllabus about religious holidays, which no students have ever contacted me about.

Perhaps you are located in a more heathen state ha ha. Or you might not notice Good Friday since it's always on a Friday and a lot of Higher Ed institutions don't offer much in the way of Friday classes. Almost none of the faculty at Big Urban College teach Friday classes, so that particular holiday is a Nothing Burger for them.

It's the holidays that stay at fixed dates (e.g. Valentine's Day) or don't even use the regular calendar (e.h. Rosh HaShanah) that can create scheduling complications that vary from year to year. Sometimes they're on weekends. Sometimes they're not.

I did some looking at academic calendars of local places. Most state institutions ignore the religious holidays, but I did notice that one place had classes off last Good Friday, but said it was a "Day of Reflection."

[Aster]

I did some looking at academic calendars of local places. Most state institutions ignore the religious holidays, but I did notice that one place had classes off last Good Friday, but said it was a "Day of Reflection."

Wow. That's... um... Wow.

[clean]

Good Friday is not relevant to Spring Break here.
I believe that the Staff will get a half day off, but it is not promised, just one of those things that the chancellor has power to do periodically.  IF the staff are released, it is after the classes would have ended anyway, so no impact on education.

[wareagle]

Official this week.  Our system will have a spring break at the usual time, mid-March.

[Vkw10]

Spring schedule may be modified, but decision will probably be announced in mid-November. Possibilities include starting semester a week late and eliminating Spring Break, having five reading days during semester instead of week long break, ending semester a week early, or sticking with traditional schedule.

We are not modifying fall schedule by going online only after Thanksgiving. FacultySenate asked if faculty can choose to flip class to online only for last week and exams. Also asked if Provost would send memo to all faculty telling them that's an option, as faculty are tired of getting mixed signals about scheduling options. No to memo, but "no one is going to investigate whether classes are meeting face-to-face after Thanksgiving." Provost said it, President reiterated it, and a betting that if any student complains there will be investigation.

[Aster]

We've changed our Spring 2021 academic calendar at least three times already in the last year. It currently shows that we have Spring Break, but I'm not holding my breath.

[Bonnie]

At this time, no plans to change our spring calendar. We will be primarily online.

[RatGuy]

We start later than usual in January. We have no spring break (though we will have a few 4-day weeks to compensate). We finish around the same time. Finale exams are to be in person.
The University has asked departments to offer more classes with an in-person component. Our department has asked that enrollment caps be dropped in order to more easily find space for those students. That might mean more sections offered.

[Puget]

It was just announced yesterday that we'll be starting 10 days later than usual and having no break, except a few holidays off. The university sees it as a way of minimizing student travel during the semester (they would be happiest if they could put up a mote around campus and keep them all in the bubble). I can understand that, but I think the students (and faculty!) are going to end up exhausted and burnt out. I'm going to think about ways to insert a "break" in my class where it would have been-- it's an advanced seminar with a major term paper, so I'm thinking I'll cancel a week of classes as paper working time with individual paper consultation meetings scheduled with students (I usually cancel one class for this anyway).

[Bonnie]

It was just announced yesterday that we'll be starting 10 days later than usual and having no break, except a few holidays off. The university sees it as a way of minimizing student travel during the semester (they would be happiest if they could put up a mote around campus and keep them all in the bubble). I can understand that, but I think the students (and faculty!) are going to end up exhausted and burnt out. I'm going to think about ways to insert a "break" in my class where it would have been-- it's an advanced seminar with a major term paper, so I'm thinking I'll cancel a week of classes as paper working time with individual paper consultation meetings scheduled with students (I usually cancel one class for this anyway).

Agreed. I would have difficulty pushing through spring semester without a break in a typical year. In 2021? I know I'll need that break. The decision to keep spring break was a surprise for many of us, so I had already been planning to schedule a "catch up week" in each of my classes to give us a break.