Registrar Polly Griffin has decided not to hold a special day of classes on Saturday, May 19, during Green Key Weekend -- despite the Student Assembly's initial effort to schedule two consecutive days of reading period.
Instead, as was originally planned, Monday, May 28, will be the first day of reading period, and the second day will be held after classes have ended, on Thursday, May 31.
Griffin said she made the decision to change the calendar back to its initial state after a series of phone conversations with Assembly President Jorge Miranda '01, Assembly Academic Affairs Committee Chair Michael Perry '03, and various College officials.
The SA's reaction to the decision was mixed. Perry said he was "very happy with the solution because it best serves the students." He added, however that, "I'm a little disappointed that we couldn't change it this year."
Miranda said that "when [the Assembly] made the proposal the issue of classes on Green Key wasn't specified." Both Miranda and Perry said that student complaints about the proposed Saturday classes played a role in the registrar's decision.
Griffin said she made this decision because she believed that the additional classes on Green Key Weekend did not best serve the needs of the community.
According to Griffin, many students would not take seriously classes held during the traditionally festive weekend, and thus it would be better to hold necessary classes on other days when students were more focused on work.
In a press release, Miranda echoed Griffin's statements, explaining that, after consideration and conversation it seemed that, in fact, "a day of classes during Green Key Weekend is undesirable for most students."
The special classes could not be moved to another weekend due to the complicated rules regulating any change of the academic calendar, Griffin said.
She added that she still hopes to accommodate the Student Assembly's request for two consecutive days of reading period in future years.
Likewise, in his press release, Miranda said, "Although SA regrets that it could not remedy the situation of the split Spring term reading period for this academic year, SA plans to work closely with the administration to ensure that next year Spring Term reading period will be scheduled for two consecutive days."
