As Veterans Day approaches, the one thing that floats through my mind is the statement that hangs like an unwanted appendage on the school’s academic calendar, “Veterans Day Holiday. Faculty may choose to hold classes. Administrative offices closed.”
This statement is attached to every three-day weekend for the entire school year. Is it fair that the college is allowing faculty to hold classes on all of the three-day weekends?
Columbus Day is a holiday designated to celebrating Christopher Columbus’s arrival in the America’s. It became an official federal holiday in 1937, although the day had been celebrated the years following his arrival.
Veterans Day is honoring the men and women who served in our country’s armed services. It was first celebrated in 1919 and was known as Armistice Day. It wasn’t until 1954 that the name was changed to Veterans Day.
Martin Luther King Day celebrates the birth of an important civil rights activist in our history. Martin Luther King Day was first observed on Jan. 20, 1986.
President’s Day, formerly known as Washington’s birthday, is set aside to celebrate the birthday of President George Washington. People may choose to honor past presidents on this day, but it originally became a holiday to honor Washington.
Lastly, we have Patriots Day, which commemorates the anniversary of the Battles of Lexington and Concord. These are the battles that began the Revolutionary War.
Of course once the students are on summer break, the calendar switches back to the good old “College closed for Memorial Day.”
What entitles faculty to hold classes on these days of observances? Is it because Simmons is choosing to following in the footsteps of larger universities? Doesn’t it look a bit disrespectful?
Each and every one of these holidays is an important milestone in our country’s history and should be celebrated as such. What happens when the school starts putting “Thanksgiving break. Faculty may choose to hold classes. Administrative offices closed.” I know it may seem a little far-fetched, but all of these so-called “holidays” are as important as Thanksgiving.
One may argue that many times students get more time off then the staff at Simmons, long summer and winter breaks, so it is time for staff to have time off that students do not. Unlike staff, students are not finished once they break for the weekend. Students have athletics, homework, and other commitments that take up much of their free time.
College students look forward to and need these three-day weekends to recoup and catch up on work for the semester.  It won’t be long before students are out in the real work force and these breaks are a part of our past.
As most students choose to look at these days as a chance to sleep in, party on a Sunday night, or catch up on work, these days are more than just time off from school, they are a day off to honor those who have built this country and made history.
So I ask the administration at Simmons that chose to add this “unwanted appendage” to the school’s academic calendar, what was your reasoning behind it? Why make the change now? If you need to have a certain number of days in a semester then add them on  at the end of Aug. or May, don’t take away the days of rememberance.