Senate calls for additional day off

ASUI Senate presented a resolution at the second-to-last meeting of the semester, urging the University of Idaho to add a three-day weekend during the fall semester.

All 15 senators voted in support of the resolution, which states students, staff and faculty members are deserving of a break during “the busiest time of the academic year, in the month of October.”

“While there are certainly barriers we have to cross in the process — notably, confusing the desire and really need for this weekend with the honoring of Indigenous People’s Day,” Mete Yuksel, the bill’s author, said. “While that concern is certainly important, and UI holds many on-campus celebrations to honor that day, the point of the resolution is to add a three-day weekend in the fall semester to improve the health and happiness of faculty, staff and students.”

Yuksel said Indigenous People’s Day is one suggestion for the many possible days for the break, as it always falls on a Monday.

The resolution proposes this on the basis of the fall semester being one day longer than the spring semester and would eliminate the extra day from the fall calendar.The Senate also supported the resolution based on the agreed premise that it is important to maintain the health and well-being of all members of the University of Idaho and faculty during a time of many academic affairs, including midterm exams.

The bill states several other public land-grant institutions have devoted multiple “study break” days in their fall semester in place of additional days of instruction.

None of the departments the proposal was sent to have reached out to the Senate. However, Yuksel said the Senate is eager to work with the Faculty Senate to see this effort continue to gain traction.

“While it is unclear where the resolution will go next without input from departments, Faculty Senate and others, it is clear that President Staben is contacting the appropriate people at the State Board of Education and on campus to discuss, revise and see through the proposal,” Yuksel said. 

Ellamae Burnell can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter @EllamaeBurnell