I rarely have reason to complain about SMU’s break and vacation policies, which I feel are very generous. However, I think that having Friday, April 2nd off doesn’t really make much sense for the Easter Holiday. It is more customary to take a Friday off than a Monday but I think in holidays where Sunday is the day of celebration, for most, a Monday seems to make more sense. The whole reason for having the break it to celebrate Easter with your family and friends.
SMU is a diverse community. Professors, students and the administrative staff are comprised of many different religious backgrounds so one could argue that it is not right for Jewish or Muslim student to have their semester broken up by a long break. I am simply stating that if there is a break to be given I think for the majority of student's travel plans a Monday break would be more beneficial. In fact a Monday holiday could actually make the three day weekend less religious because the Friday that is given off is actually Good Friday.
Many Students though live far enough away that they will spend the majority of Sunday traveling to get back for Monday classes. I think Easter should be one of those rare exceptions to take Monday off and hold Friday classes. Do you like the way the calander is set up or do you think the days should be switched?
I agree with you that this break doesn't make much sense. I think it is very short in general whether or not we would have monday or friday off. It's hard to relax and spend time with your family when it is so rushed. The majority of people that I have talked to are flying back monday regardless of classes, so that they don't have to spend Easter sunday traveling.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you but I think that we should have both Monday and Friday off from school. Good friday is an important day for many religious people. I think that Monday should be given off because it allows time for students to travel and spend the entire Easter holiday with their families. I know that personally I am not going home because the break is so short and i live too far away for it to be worth it.
ReplyDeleteI don't agree with you since the fact of the matter is that Good Friday is a religious holiday in itself and a day when church is held. But I do feel that forcing students to travel Easter day is unfortunate and really a bother since my family has a great lunch that day in celebration. It is hard to have to two M-W-F rotations off as well, it would throw off the university schedule too much. But either way it is a situation that they probably tried to make the best of.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you because I personally do not feel like taking a flight back home today. I am having a great day relaxing with my family. And now I am getting my homework done and making sure I am packed to return in a few hours. I do however realize that there is a positive and a negative for taking off today verses Good Friday. Either way you will not be able to make everyone happy. I think that the school is doing the best they can.
ReplyDeleteMost everyone took an extra day off either before or after Spring Break. Some took a day at each end. I also noticed low attendance on the Wednesday before Good Friday. Now I realize that there could be low attendance for the library presentation on Monday. Not good. But I think Easter, coming so soon after Spring Break, should not be seen as yet another vacation from school. Some of my students are right on the border between passing or failing due to the six-class limit on absences, which I am contractually bound to uphold. Sign me, the Grinch who stole Easter.
ReplyDeleteOh Jamesie boy, i have to agree with you my man. I mean there is no reason for us not to have Monday of for Easter. I mean this is a Methodist school after all and it the holiday in which we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ. I mean this is kind of an important holiday for Christians. So yes i believe that we should have an extra day to celebrate this with our families.
ReplyDeleteGreg, It's not really a "Methodist" school in the same way that Baylor is. We were founded by the Methodist Church in 1911, but we are "nonsectarian" as our Web site says ("About SMU"). Besides, if we were really Methodist, no one should be drinking at all.
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