Academic Schedule
Monica Klem
Issue date: 12/11/07 Section: News
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The differences between the dates of the 2007-08 academic year at the University of Dallas and the dates of previous years were due to a variety of factors, according to Registrar Jan Burk. The changes resulted in the later ending of the Fall '07 semester, as well as the overlapping of Spring Break with Easter.
Burk said that the dates for the beginning and end of the semesters ordinarily vary due to the dates of various holidays and the May commencement ceremony. During the meeting that decided the dates for the 2007-08 academic year, several other issues were raised.
"As I recall, these included a somewhat later ending date for the previous spring semester, the need to schedule the utilities shutdown for preventive maintenance in the summer, and the need for adequate time to prepare the residence halls for the beginning of the semester," said Burk.
"For the spring of 2008, the usual week for spring break would have fallen only a week or so before the Easter break. Some committee members suggested that having the two breaks so close together would be disruptive for classes and would also be difficult for students wanting to travel home," Burk said.
"So, we decided instead to combine the two breaks around Easter, with spring break during Holy Week and with the two Easter-break days on the Monday and Tuesday after Easter, March 17-25," she said.
According to Burk, this situation is unlikely to be repeated soon.
"This particular plan for Spring Break will happen only this one time because of the unusually early Easter. In the spring of 2009, Spring Break will return to its usual week in March followed by the regular Easter break in April."
Burk said that while she had not perceived a reaction to the schedule changes in the spring semester, she had received some complaints about the fall.
Junior David Cicotte said that while he did not anticipate trouble while traveling, the dates had affected his plans.
"I live relatively close to school so the later start and end this semester has only minimally altered my plans. Namely, I had to purchase gifts and write cards during the Thanksgiving weekend because there would not have been enough time to do so between the end of finals and Christmas," he said.
"Some parents and students have expressed concern over the later ending date for fall because of transportation difficulties so close to Christmas," said Burk.
"Several faculty members have also expressed a preference for the earlier start date, although others pointed out that the later start date eliminated a conflict with professional conferences at that time of year, and it allowed for more productive instructional time between Thanksgiving and the end of the semester."
Burk said that the dates for the beginning and end of the semesters ordinarily vary due to the dates of various holidays and the May commencement ceremony. During the meeting that decided the dates for the 2007-08 academic year, several other issues were raised.
"As I recall, these included a somewhat later ending date for the previous spring semester, the need to schedule the utilities shutdown for preventive maintenance in the summer, and the need for adequate time to prepare the residence halls for the beginning of the semester," said Burk.
"For the spring of 2008, the usual week for spring break would have fallen only a week or so before the Easter break. Some committee members suggested that having the two breaks so close together would be disruptive for classes and would also be difficult for students wanting to travel home," Burk said.
"So, we decided instead to combine the two breaks around Easter, with spring break during Holy Week and with the two Easter-break days on the Monday and Tuesday after Easter, March 17-25," she said.
According to Burk, this situation is unlikely to be repeated soon.
"This particular plan for Spring Break will happen only this one time because of the unusually early Easter. In the spring of 2009, Spring Break will return to its usual week in March followed by the regular Easter break in April."
Burk said that while she had not perceived a reaction to the schedule changes in the spring semester, she had received some complaints about the fall.
Junior David Cicotte said that while he did not anticipate trouble while traveling, the dates had affected his plans.
"I live relatively close to school so the later start and end this semester has only minimally altered my plans. Namely, I had to purchase gifts and write cards during the Thanksgiving weekend because there would not have been enough time to do so between the end of finals and Christmas," he said.
"Some parents and students have expressed concern over the later ending date for fall because of transportation difficulties so close to Christmas," said Burk.
"Several faculty members have also expressed a preference for the earlier start date, although others pointed out that the later start date eliminated a conflict with professional conferences at that time of year, and it allowed for more productive instructional time between Thanksgiving and the end of the semester."
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