One year after a university committee created a subcommittee to draft a proposal to create a fall midsemester break, its members say they're ready to introduce it.
Almost.
Members of the three-person subcommittee of the University Committee on Academic Policy, or UCAP, are "polishing" the draft for a proposal that was conceived six years ago.
The two-day break would create a four-day weekend in October.
"The fact that we go through midterms without any break — it's really stressful, and a lot of students have said they want a fall break," said Keri Zolman, one of two students on the subcommittee. "I believe in this. It is a pressing issue."
The break was first proposed by members of ASMSU's Academic Assembly in 2000. Since then, some personnel changes and flaws in the original plan prevented it from becoming a reality, committee members said.
In 2000, UCAP shot down half of the two-part motion and approved the other half. Committee member Brandon Sethi said after that, the proposal sat in Academic Governance and "died." On Jan. 17, 2006, Academic Assembly voted unanimously to send the proposal to the subcommittee, and it remains there today.
"We're trying to make sure that doesn't happen again, so we're trying to answer all the questions," said Sethi, who also is the ASMSU Academic Assembly Vice Chairperson for External Affairs.
He added that it would be a great opportunity for the school to implement an "alternative fall break."
"It allows for the creation of opportunities," Sethi said. "Some schools have an alternative fall break and they do a service project. I could see the Center for Service-Learning jumping on that."
The third committee member is assistant nursing Professor Renee Canady.
In 2002, the University of Michigan approved a two-day break for mid-October.
The final decision to create a break would ultimately lay with the MSU Board of Trustees.
Sethi said the board would also decide on the details, such as when to implement the break.
"I feel good about it," Trustee George Perles said. "I'm trying to help kids, students. Whatever you all think is helpful for you and your career, I'm all for it."
Zolman, who has been on the committee for more than a year, began with a different pair of co-workers. But she said she's remained dedicated throughout and the changes haven't affected the committee's progress.
"It's not like I'm dragging my feet or anything," Zolman said. "It's all the logistics of talking to professors. When we do push it forward, we want it to actually go through. We don't want it to die in limbo or be shot down right away."
If it makes it through UCAP, the proposal will be sent to Academic Governance and then, hopefully, to the trustees.
The committee hopes to have the proposal prepared for the Feb. 1 UCAP meeting.
Joey Nowak can be reached at nowakjo2@msu.edu.
