Extending Thanksgiving break logical, but skipping class better

by Haley Mathis

“Technically, Wednesday is an ‘independent study day,’ and class is not cancelled as it’s against university policy to do so,� said one professor who will remain anonymous in the interest of the student body and so this practice can continue.

Students complain about this every year, and yet it still remains unchanged. Let’s explore the reasons for this.

I’m sure there is a logical explanation.

Last year in an article called “Thanksgiving break causes controversy,� the Trinitonian gave the administration the chance to explain.

The challenge of extending Thanksgiving break apparently lies in finding a way to make up for the lost class time. (Do they think we actually go to class that day?) Anyway, here are the problems: 1. The extra day might interfere with new student orientation, 2. The extra day might interfere with graduation, 3. Fall break might have to be eliminated to make up for the holiday.

I knew there was a logical explanation. Wait… The extra day of classes might interfere with graduation? There’s a simple solution. Change the date of graduation. Are the agenda books printed 10 years in advance? The extra day of classes wouldn’t interfere with graduation if they simply pushed back the day of graduation.

I have to wonder, does the administration know we all skip/cancel classes, and are just trying to save us the problem of having to actually make up that day? Or, perhaps the problem really is that they don’t want to reprint all of those agenda books. That kind of thing would cost a lot of money; I mean, it would probably cost as much as trying to buy a plane ticket for Thanksgiving day.

In the end, I guess I don’t really care if the Wednesday before Thanksgiving is “technically� considered a holiday. All my Wednesday classes are cancelled, and last year I just skipped. And, well, let’s face it, it’s kind of nice that nobody is making me go to class an extra day to make up for it at the end of the year.

But, I just can’t ignore those few sad saps whose professors didn’t cancel class, or waited until the last minute to finally give in. The issue deserves at least a second of serious consideration.

For these students it’s an issue of annoyance, sure. However, I would argue it’s even an issue of safety. Students shouldn’t be forced into driving late into the night on Wednesday after classes, or even worse, driving on Thursday, Thanksgiving day. Any holiday is full of traffic and people who have had a little too much wine.

More than students’ annoyances, it puts professors in a tough spot as well. They are forced to either be heartless and have three students show up, or lose class time and feel like a pushover. This shouldn’t be a difficult choice professors have to make every singe year.

I would say that we should all protest and skip class on Wednesday… but I don’t think anybody would notice.