ASUSU push for bill that would give students a fall break

ASUSU took the first step Monday and Tuesday to approving a one-day fall break for students beginning fall semester 2006.

Members of the Academic Senate and the Executive Council discussed legislation that would allow students an extra day off of school near the end of October to coincide with the Utah Education Association annual break.

“Being in classes and talking with students, they said they would appreciate a one-day break,” Education Senator Stacy Brown said, who compiled and organized the legislation.

Each university in Utah is required to have at least 75 academic school days each semester. Currently, there are 76 academic school days for fall semester at Utah State University, Brown said.

The senate hopes to present the legislation at Stater’s Council on Nov. 7. If the legislation passes, the Calendaring Committee will be able to work the change into the next academic school year.

However, several members of the senate asked if it were possible to have a two-day fall break instead of a one-day break.

“If we want a two-day break, we have to add another school day somewhere else,” Brown said.

Andrew Shaw, Natural Resources senator, said the senate should also consider the needs of the professors and how this change could affect their individual classes.

Currently, most universities throughout Utah have at least a one-day fall break from classes between the Labor Day holiday and the Thanksgiving holiday.

However, at USU there are 56 academic school days without a break between the Labor Day holiday on Sept. 5 and the Thanksgiving holiday on Nov. 23.

-mmackay@cc.usu.edu