East Carolinian

Issue date: 1/29/09 Section: News

Media Credit: jessi Braxton

Many students were elated about the five-day weekend that ECU enjoyed as a result of the MLK holiday and two snow days, and now there's even more good news-students won't have to make-up those two snow days.

Provost Marilyn Sheerer announced yesterday that the university decided not to add on make-up days at the end of the semester to make up for the instruction time missed while school was closed for severe weather.

Sheerer contacted Dr. Harold Martin, senior vice president for Academic Affairs at UNC General Administration, to get clarity on how to handle the situation. She said the decision making process wasn't complicated.

"I contacted Dr. Martin at the General Administration Office in Chapel Hill because I had never had this question asked before," said Sheerer. "He has essentially given us a dispensation. We are not expected to make up the two days."

Unlike some previous semesters, the reading days between the last day of class and the start of exams will not be used as make-up days. Sheerer said the use of reading days as make-up days is suggested by the ECU faculty manual, but the university is not going to use that option and the decision made by Martin "supersedes any rules that we have on campus."

Graduate student Brandy Diggs said she was glad to have the time off, but was also disappointed at missing important class time.

"I enjoyed being off the first day watching the inauguration but the second day I was disappointed," said Diggs. "Honestly, as a music student, I missed my voice lesson that day so I actually was upset. I really did hope I could make that lesson up."

However, Diggs has no opposition to the university's decision not to schedule make-up days.

"No, I don't want make-up classes because I don't want any days added to the semester. It's just unfortunate that I lost the class time," Diggs said.

Some faculty members are disappointed at the loss of instruction time as well. Provost Sheerer said that the university understands this concern, but has chosen to follow the direction given by UNC General Administration.

"Some faculty will be concerned because it means that they have to kind of squash things and I'm sorry about that," she said, "but I think it's important to know what kind of policy is followed when we have these weather emergencies, so I'm going to abide by Dr. Martin."

The final day of class for the spring semester is Monday, April 27. Reading days are scheduled for Tuesday, April 28 and Wednesday, April 29 and final exams begin Thursday April 30.



This writer can be contacted at news@theeastcarolinian.com.

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