Five and a half weeks into a busy and eventful semester, students at the University of Colorado at Boulder are getting a break with two days off classes on Oct. 4 and Oct. 5 for fall break.
Most students will have the opportunity to get some rest and relaxation before they begin to prepare for midterms and finals. But some have said they want to take the time to evaluate where they are in the semester and plan for the remaining two months.
"Fall break this year is particularly welcome by our students and faculty because of the trauma still present from the Sept. 11 attacks," said Ron Stump, vice chancellor for student affairs. "The short time away from the normal stress of the academic year will hopefully help each of us to address the aftermath of the tragedy and to find renewed energy for what the future will bring."
Students and faculty alike will benefit from the break, but the university staff is expected to report to work as usual. There will be no campus closures and all campus buildings will remain open during the break.
Classes will be in session through Wednesday, Oct. 3rd, and the university faculty is required to meet their classes the next week as they do at any other time, unless other arrangements have been made.
The break was instituted last year to give students a short breather during what would otherwise be 12 weeks of continuous classes between Labor Day and Thanksgiving. Student leaders from the University of Colorado Student Union (UCSU) originally proposed the fall break in 1998 as a way to split up the long stretch of full class weeks. Students were pleased in 1999 when the proposal was approved.
Fall break is held the first or second Thursday and Friday in October.