An early start to the spring semester and a plan to have both a Tuesday and a Wednesday become a Monday schedule have already made this year’s academic schedule confusing and frustrating to members of the Fairfield community. Now, due to Mother Nature’s winter ways, those same people may be scratching their heads and puffing air.’

Before Wednesday classes were canceled due to a snowstorm, the academic schedule planned to have April 8, the Wednesday of the week of Easter break, follow a Monday schedule. Due to the Wednesday loss, however, April 8 will now be a Wednesday schedule.

Jean Santopatre, who teaches a visual journalism turbo on Wednesday, thinks the change to April 8 is a blessing for her class.

‘This is better for me so we are not behind in our rigorous schedule,’ she said.

However, some students are less than enthusiastic about the schedule change.

Deirdre Byrne ’09 wasn’t happy with the change because now she will have to stay until Wednesday before Easter.

‘Because of my internship schedule, I would have only needed to stay until Tuesday if Wednesday stayed a Monday schedule.’

Communications Professor Gisela Gil-Egui disagreed.

‘ ‘Personally, rather than upset, I’m a little inconvenienced by the changes in the calendar, as they have forced me to modify the syllabus for one of my courses back and forth,’ she said. ‘However, I think it’s only fair that, as faculty, I give the University administration the same flexibility I expect to receive when a conference or another professional commitment forces me to occasionally miss a class.

‘Beyond this minor issue, I’m concerned about what will happen if future inclement weather makes it necessary to cancel more classes in this semester. I can only hope that any additional decisions in this regard are consulted with both faculty and students,’ she said.

Despite these changes, Orin Grossman says he believes they will be the last of the semester.

‘ ‘We hope for no more snow days, but if that occurs we will probably just allow it to be a day lost,’ he said.

‘I doubt there will be major adjustments to the calendar, but of course it is impossible to predict the future.’

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