Spring BreaksWhat is the best approach for our Spring

Breaks?

Some Basics• Until 2005 our Spring Breaks were aligned with local

schools• last aligned Spring Break was March 28 - April 1, 2005

• of 15 weeks, 11 weeks usually fell before Spring Break and 4 weeks after

• schools place their Spring Break between the GHSGT and the CRCT• GHSGT administered on 5 consecutive days within the last two weeks of

March

• CRCT administered on 9 consecutive days during the month of April

• Starting in 2006 we moved our Spring Break to mid March• as negative consequences surfaced, a survey was administered

• survey results were inconclusive (see next slide)

2006 Survey*: Do You Prefer the new Spring Break?

Student Responses

0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

35%

40%

Yes No Don't Care

Faculty Responses

0%5%

10%15%20%25%30%35%40%45%50%

Yes No Don't Care

35% 29% 36%

(n=963)

44% 40%

16%

* Participants were not given any information as to the pros and cons of the new Spring Break.

Consequences of the New Spring Break

• Since 2006 the number of service hours provided to the community have been significantly reduced:

• College of Education, College of Nursing, Communication Disorders

• Since 2006 students loose valuable instructional time in practicum programs

• Since 2006 students and faculty with school-aged children have to make arrangements for childcare when schools are on break but when VSU is in session

• Staff members (e.g. secretaries) too have issues when VSU is in session but their kids are on break

• Thus VSU members with school-aged children have not had a Spring Break since 2006

Spending the 2013 Spring Break at VSU

Alex and Evan with their Mom (student)

Emily with her Mom (student, husband deployed)

Katrina with her Mom (faculty)

Jacob with his Mom (student)

Spending the 2013 Spring Break at VSU

Madison with her Mom (student)

Banks with his Mom (student)

Spending the 2013 Spring Break at VSU

Oya with her Dad (faculty)

Rena, Callie and Jacob with their Dad (student)

Spending the 2013 Spring Break at VSU

Guidelines for Future Spring Semesters?

• Start for each Spring Semester (First Day of Class):• In the second full week of January (to allow enough time for

orientation)

• Scheduling of Spring Break • in late March to accommodate the GHSGT & CRCT schedules

• Suggested future Spring Break Dates, starting with 2015:

• 2015: March 23-27 (First Day of Class: January 12)

• 2016: March 28-April 1 (First Day of Class: January 11)

• 2017: March 27-31 (First Day of Class: January 9)

• 2018: March 26-30 (First Day of Class: January 8)

• This leaves 4 semester weeks after each Spring Break

(In comparison to only one week left after Thanksgiving.)

Endnotes

• In 2013 VSU’s Spring Break was March 18-22 and local schools had theirs April 1-5

• Was it really not possible to move them to March 25-29?

• It is not practical to consider Easter for the planning of breaks

• Easter is a lunar holiday, with Easter Sunday falling on the first Sunday after Spring Full Moon

• Easter Sunday can be as early as March 23 (2008) or as late as April 24 (2011)