A fall reading week was promised to students by the executives of Carleton University Students’ Association (CUSA) during their campaign last year, but discussions with administration still need to happen for it to become reality.
Alex Sirois, president of CUSA, said the matter had been broached with administration in early summer. “We briefly spoke to them, and it was basically like ‘No, it won’t work,’ ” Sirois said.
Sirois said CUSA’s goal is to have the new fall break for next year.
“We’re going to meet with them again – there’s still more work to be done. Persistence is key.”
“We’ll bring up the main conflicts of doing it . . . why they think it would be a problem, and if people’s curriculums could fit it,” Sirois said.
Director of student affairs Ryan Flannagan said the calendar for this year has already been set, but says he suspects a break could be arranged for next year.
“If they want to have it for next year, they’re going to have start the discussions sooner versus later, because it does take time, a long time, to set the year academically,” he said.
The proposed reading week is intended to give professors time for grading and course development, as well as give students time to catch up on school work and study for midterms, just like the spring break, Sirois said.
“I’d probably like it. It’d be nice to have a break during the school year when things are getting busy,” said Rachel Sherman, a second-year political science student. “Just to relax and compose yourself before things get busy again.”
However, not all students agree. Some feel that an extra week is unnecessary and will cut into valuable classroom time.
“I really don’t think it’s necessary,” said second-year global politics student Tyler Amos. “University’s hard, but it’s not that hard . . . you would have to scrunch more work into less time,” he said.
Sirois said that they would work out scheduling details with administration in the near future.
Several Ontario universities such as York, Nipissing, and new this year, the University of Ottawa, have implemented fall reading weeks in addition to a spring break.