Provost sheds light on distribution of spring break dates
Daren Timmons, Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, shed light on why the decision to redistribute spring break was made, who made it and how they’re protecting these breaks for students.
“The decision is made by the cabinet … and the chancellor,” Timmons stated. The cabinet is made up of the chancellor, vice-chancellors and athletic directors of USC Aiken.
The question of what to do about spring arose, but the cabinet was hesitant to make a decision prematurely. Timmons expressed his frustration with attempting to plan for a future that is radically unpredictable.
“The chancellor asked Ahmed Samaha, Vice Chancellor of Student Affairs, and me to gather some input. We grabbed several faculty … into an ad-hoc committee. One of the first things that was brought up was probably that spring break wasn’t a good idea … ”
Timmons explained Samaha told SGA that it was unlikely that students would have a traditional spring break, noting that SGA met this statement with frustration and understanding. When they got options for what the schedule could look like, Samaha took that to SGA as well and they emphasized their want for spring break.
“The academic council, … made up of the academic department chairs and deans was … almost parallel to this once we knew that we were recommending [not to have] spring break.” They came to the same conclusion as the adhot committee: “not [to] have a traditional spring break.”
“We took [SGA’s feedback back to] the adhot committee, [who] recommended that we don’t have spring break and that we distribute the days individually throughout the semester.” Samaha and Timmons worked with the registrar to gather their options and relay them “back to the cabinet for decision-making.”
In reference to keeping these days breaks rather than having assignments due on them, Timmons expressed his dedication, “At [the] faculty assembly last week … I told the faculty, ‘What do we need to put in place so that we can maintain this as a break?’”
Timmons will be taking this to the academic council and will pose the same question to ensure that no work is assigned on these days.
Some on the Student Life Facebook page expressed dismay at the idea that the number of spring break days are not equivalent to the number of traditional days off. Timmons ensured, “We have exactly the same number of class days in this modified schedule as we [normally have].”
Timmons explained that there is nothing students can do to influence or reverse this decision, stating, “The decision is final at this point barring some significant change in the coronavirus health and safety concerns … I would love to be able to [reverse this decision].”
