Senate Discussion: Fall Break at Waterloo
Senate Discussion: Fall Break at Waterloo
Sen
October 19, 2015
Fall Break Working Group
Senate Discussion: Fall Break at Waterloo
Motivation
• ~ 3/4 of Ontario’s 21 universities have a Fall Break varying in
length from 2-5 days
• WLU initiated a 3-year pilot in Fall 2014
• Federation of Students referendum on Fall Break (Fall 2014)
Senate Discussion: Fall Break at Waterloo
Working group established in Spring 2014
• Outline all scheduling options, noting pros and cons of each
• Recommend an option should one become clearly optimal
• No position should be taken on adoption of a Fall Break
Senate Discussion: Fall Break at Waterloo
Issues to manage
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60 teaching days/term
High level of teaching activity throughout year (co-op)
Pre-final exam study days (minimum 2)
Exam schedule (12 days in past, 14 days for last few years, 13
days this Fall, aiming for 13 days in future years)
• No Sunday exams
• Exams must end no later than Dec. 22
Senate Discussion: Fall Break at Waterloo
Report* to Vice-President and Provost: (September 2014)
“Consideration of a Fall Break at the University of Waterloo”
Key recommendations: If we implement a Fall Break…
1. Make it two days in length, starting classes 2 days early (i.e., Thursday of Orientation Week)
1.
Consider a trial (pilot) for 3 years, with annual assessment
1.
Consult widely with all stakeholder groups to understand potential obstacles/complications
to implementing a Fall Break
1.
Articulate expectations/definition of a mid-term break
1.
Explore strategies to maximize student benefit from a Fall Break
* Refer to Senate agenda, October 14, 2014
Senate Discussion: Fall Break at Waterloo
Undergraduate Student Referendum: (November 2014)
• Over 6000 students responded to the question:
“Should classes start on the first Thursday after Labour Day to allow
two additional days off in the Fall Term”
• 4600 students (~74%) voted in favour of the proposed break
Senate Discussion: Fall Break at Waterloo
Working group was asked to explore more fully implementation of a Fall
Break with Waterloo community
Stakeholders consulted (Nov. 2014 – Jan. 2015)
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Faculty Association
Staff Association
Federation of Students
Undergraduate Students Relations Committee
Graduate Students Association
Graduate Students Relations Committee
Leadership Forum
CUPE Local 793
Custodial and Ground Services
Food Services
Report to Vice-President and Provost: (Feb. 2015)
“Proposed Fall Break – Stakeholder Consultation”
Senate Discussion: Fall Break at Waterloo
Major issue raised
• Faculty, staff and co-op students who work or study during
the Spring term and are back in the Fall term saw the break
between terms as important for holidays, and for
international students, family visits. The reduced time span
between the Spring and Fall terms was seen as problematical
Solution: Allow instructors who teach in Spring and
Fall terms to request an early Spring exam time by
“pre-slotting” their final exam.
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
Sunday
*2016*
Earliest
implementation
5 Labour Day
6 Orientation
7 Orientation
8 Classes start
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10
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14
15
16
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26
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29
3
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10 Thanksgiving
11 Break
12 Break
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17
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25
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27
31
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30
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2
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6 Study
7 Study
8 Exams start
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22 Exams
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25
December
14 exam days
November
October
September
Senate Discussion: Fall
Break
at Waterloo
1
2
3
4
23
24
25
Earliest
possible
30
1
2
implementation
7
8
9
15
16
of a1421 Fall Break
is
22
23
28 2016
29
30
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
Sunday
*2020*
Latest Labour Day
7 Labour Day
8 Orientation
9 Orientation
10 Classes start
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
1
2
3
4
December
14 exam days
November
October
September
Senate Discussion: Fall
Break
at Waterloo
3
4
5
6
Scheduling of
10
Saturday
class TBD11
5
6
7
8
9
12 Thanksgiving
13 Break
14 Break
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16
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18
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20
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22
23
24
25
31
1
7 class day
8
14
15
21
22
28
29
NOTE:
In272020 and
26
28 2021,29a
30
Saturday
2
3class will
4 be necessary
5
6
regardless
or12not there
9
10 of whether
11
13
17
18 as in 19
20
is16a Fall Break
(such
Fall 2009
23
25
26
or
2015) 24
due to late
Labour
Day 27
30
1
2
3
4
5
6
7 Study
8 Exams start
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
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22 Exams end
23
24
25
26
27
Senate Discussion: Fall Break at Waterloo
Motion: To approve modifications to calendar
guidelines for a three-year period starting in 2016
to include a two-day Fall Break following
Thanksgiving Monday by starting classes earlier by
two days (Thursday of Orientation Week), and to
evaluate this initiative after three years.