UPC has concluded that the issue of academic calendar schedules should be discussed by the full
senate rather than by individual councils as it is clear that there is no one solution which can
please all university constituents (and possibly none that can make even most individuals happy).
Thus it has requested that materials be circulated to begin a discussion for the senate meeting of
Oct 10 with the intent of bringing a vote Nov 21. This time scale is designed to provide serious
consultation with student constituencies. The memo summarizing the joint actions of UPC and
ULC, with the previous bills and rationales, give a good history of the discussion of the
arguments for the various options: 1) providing no specific days off for religious holidays; 2)
continuing, as in the past two years, time off for Christian, Jewish and Muslim holidays, with the
required extension of the school year, and 3) returning to the prior calendar providing time off
for Christian and Jewish holidays. In addition two slight modifications have been suggested by
members of the executive committee: 4) establishing a threshold based on NYS population data,
5) continuing current holidays but with no or much reduced travel time.
Carolyn MacDonald
Chair, UPC