The University Provost announced Thursday that the start date for the 2012 fall academic quarter will be moved forward a week to Sept. 27, a decision University spokesman Al Cubbage said was intended to avoid a scheduling conflict with Yom Kippur.
The decision was made to conform with the University Calendar Principles, which stipulate that the first week of classes will be moved forward if the first day of classes conflicts with either of the Jewish holy days.
Due to its quarter system, NU typically starts classes later than many of its peer schools, the majority of which commence around the last week of August. The new calendar means the University will not start classes until roughly a month after its peer institutions, a fact that has some students frustrated.
“When I saw the email, I forwarded it to my mom and wrote, ‘Why don’t they just have us start class in January?'” Communication sophomore Meg Lowey said. “Why even bother with fall quarter?”
Some students also said they worry the new summer break, which will comprise nearly all of September, would disrupt their summer plans, both socially and academically.
“That’s at least a full month after all my friends go back,” McCormick sophomore Will Worden said . “I’m also looking for an internship over the summer, and I’m not sure whether they’ll need me for that long.”
However, other students said they were happy about the decision, citing the extra time they would be able to spend at home as a positive rather than a hassle.
“I’m a bit relieved because the change allows me to spend a full month at home with my family, as opposed to a couple of weeks,” said SESP freshman Ellyn Pena, who will be participating in a summer program with the Global Engagement Studies Institute until August.
Although the start date of NU’s fall quarter will stand in stark contrast to those of other schools, the change also moves the beginning of winter vacation to Dec. 14, aligning that break with the calendars of institutions on the semester system.
Under the University Calendar Principles, the number of weeks in the academic year may not be shortened by a scheduling change, so the 2012-2013 academic year will not conclude until June 14, with Commencement exercises scheduled for June 21.
