can professors assign homework over thanksgiving break

The Cornell Daily Sun - Independent Since 1880

The Cornell Daily Sun (https://cornellsun.com/2018/11/25/despite-being-strongly-discouraged-faculty-can-still-assign-work-over-breaks/)

Omar Abdul-Rahim / Sun Staff Photographer

The faculty handbook discourages faculty from assigning work to students over holidays, but they are technically allowed to do that.

November 25, 2018

Despite being ‘strongly discouraged,’ faculty can still assign work over breaks, by rochelle li | november 25, 2018.

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Cornell’s faculty handbook asks professors to refrain from assigning work to students over the break. “Framing assignments in such a way that necessitates academic work over Fall Break, Thanksgiving Break or Spring Break is strongly discouraged,” writes section 6.1.

But unfortunately, if students think they can finally catch up on sleep or bond with family, they might be disappointed as that clause lacks enforcement power, according to Dean of Faculty Charles Van Loan. Faculty in fact have “tremendous autonomy” in how they schedule their assignment due date, he said.

As a result of this autonomy, Van Loan said the best way to convince faculty to abide by the resolution is by telling them that “it’s really important and worthy of their consideration.”

“I have two basic messages to my colleagues with respect to the work-over-break issue. First, announce due dates early so that students can plan. Second, recognize that your syllabus may have been overstocked if you feel pressured into giving sudden work over an upcoming break. Try to be relaxed about dropping a topic or two,” Van Loan told The Sun.

Each semester, Van Loan receives three to four emails from students about assignments they felt violated the resolution. Van Loan then typically emails a reminder to that faculty member about the resolution. When the first version of the work-over-break resolution was proposed in 2011, faculty senators acknowledged intent behind the resolution, but debated the clarity of language in the proposal.

“It says ‘strongly discouraged,’ [so] I think will be inviting a lot of our colleagues to basically disregard this resolution, because I don’t understand it. I’m not required, so what?” said Prof. Wojciech Pawlowski, plant breeding and genetics, in a 2011 faculty senate meeting where this resolution was first discussed.

On the other hand, Prof. Shawkat Toorawa, who taught at Cornell from 2000 and 2016, said in the same meeting that he stopped assigning work over break even before the, recognizing the mental health issues students face.

“[Not assigning work over break] has played havoc with my syllabus, but that’s just life. And it seems to me it is entirely reasonable to expect students to take a break,” Toorawa said. “We should probably take a break. And we should stop calling them breaks if they are not breaks, if they are just long extended reading and working sessions.”

Amidst the debate, Van Loan says that school breaks should not be defined by whether or not someone needs to work. Rather, breaks are a time for a “change of pace” and faculty just need to clearly layout the syllabus in advance and pace the amount of material covered in the class, he said.

Students are also responsible for dividing up their work schedule in the way that suits them best, Van Loan said. Whether they finish their work before break or catch up on assignments during it, he says is up to the students.

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Grand Valley Lanthorn

Professors, please don’t assign homework over break

Amy McNeel Nov 16, 2017

Dear Professors, 

Please do not assign homework over break. Most students, myself included, have been long awaiting Thanksgiving break, and finally, it’s only days away. Even better, winter holiday will soon follow, and let me tell you, these holidays are much needed.

When I think of holiday breaks, I think of them as truly what they are called: breaks. That is, I think of much-needed relaxation, delicious food, quality family time and a period of recuperation after a very taxing few months. 

However, in the back of my mind, I know that my break will probably be disrupted by a handful of homework assignments: One professor assigns an essay, another wants the class to read a book or two, and a third thinks it’s a good idea to have an exam in the days immediately following break. Each assignment really adds up, resulting in a lot of lost time, as well as additional stress in a period that is supposed to be a de-stressor for students.

So, professors, please do not assign homework over break. A holiday break is not only supposed to be a time physically away from the school but also a time away from the schoolwork. Giving out homework defeats the whole purpose of having time off. Plus, most of us don’t have a lot of time to spare. The holidays are about traditions and spending time with family, and some of us haven’t seen our families in a really long time. When we’re on break, we want to spend time with them, not locked in our rooms scratching pen against paper. 

Furthermore, as a student, let me tell you that I seriously, truly, genuinely need a break. Why? Because I haven’t had one since Labor Day. Instead, I’ve been chugging along. I’ve done papers upon papers, a handful of exams and a monumental amount of homework. Long story short, my brain is fried. I can see my grades slowly falling into an endless abyss, and I can see my mental state falling along with them. To save my sanity as well as my grades, I need to take time off. I need to recuperate and come back stronger than I left. Professors, you can help make this happen by not assigning homework. 

Don’t get me wrong, I understand why assigning homework over break is tempting. There’s a lot of material to cover and not a lot of time left in the semester. However, I really don’t think that assigning homework over break is a proactive solution. The result will most likely not be well-thought-out work, but instead a rush and mess of an assignment filled with information not retained. It will not help the student, and the outcome will not be profound. With this in mind, I have a question: Professors, do you really think that homework over holidays is beneficial for either of us? 

To make the very most out of the upcoming holiday breaks, I ask you to not assign homework. Remember, this break is not only for us but for you. We want a break as much as you do. If you can do us the favor of not giving homework over break, we can do our best to come back ready and motivated to take on the rest of the semester strong. Professors, I hope you take my claim into consideration. Let’s make these breaks enjoyable for all. 

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Homework over Thanksgiving?

OPPOSING VIEWPOINTS: Should professors assign homework over Thanksgiving break, or should they just give students a break?

Jennifer Northway and Gavin Kirkwood November 20, 2009

When else will you have this much time to finish homework?

By Jennifer Northway

Though I am pretty sure most students will disagree with my point of view on this topic, I ask that they just for a moment stop thinking I am a raving lunatic and listen with a clear mind to what I have to say. I don’t have a problem with professors assigning work over Thanksgiving break, and there are several reasons why.

First, if it wasn’t assigned over break it would probably have to be squeezed in somewhere else during the semester, and I would prefer to do it over break when I only have a few things to do, and my schedule is relatively free.

Also, whenever I go on any sort of break, my mind usually disengages in whatever I was learning before I left. This leads to me cramming to remember everything that I had let slip, whereas if I continue to do my work throughout my time off, I don’t give myself a chance to forget it.

Mostly though, if you have a huge problem with doing work over break, then do it ahead of time. The professors give you a syllabus for a reason, and you know in advance that work will be due once you get back. So stop complaining and get everything done now. Then you will be able to enjoy your wonderful time with family and friends, gorging on all the traditional delicacies and giving thanks that your work is done.

Let the break be a break

By Gavin Kirkwood

Thanksgiving is the time for fattening food, awkward interactions with extended family, a time to be thankful and … homework? It is absurd for professors to assign homework over Thanksgiving break. It is one thing for students to take their own initiative to get ahead in schoolwork or catch up in their long term projects (I have a feeling most Biola students will be doing the latter), but to actually assign work that must be completed over the break is taking away the time off that burnt out students desperately need over a special holiday.

Just as professors shouldn’t make students work over Thanksgiving break, I as a student would not expect the Biola professors to grade projects or papers over their break. Some may think Thanksgiving break is long enough to justify having homework –– I would respond by saying our break is actually quite short. If we include the Thanksgiving weekend, we get 5 days off altogether. This is not very much time, especially for the students who have to set aside time to travel long distances home. In light of the fact that many other neighboring colleges get a week off for Thanksgiving break, it is not ideal for professors to assign work over break.

Let me enjoy my turkey, pumpkin pie and awkward conversations with my aunt while trying to remember what I’m thankful for without the stress of more assignments.

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College Student Guide to Thanksgiving Break

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Thanksgiving break, for many college students, is an oasis in the middle of fall semester. It's a chance to return home and recharge. You can take a break from midterms and papers. For a lot of students, it might be their first chance to get some good food and spend time with old friends. Lots of students go home for Thanksgiving, but some stay on campus. Others head to a friend or roommate's house to celebrate the holiday. No matter your situation, though, there are things you can do to make sure you squeeze every last drop out of the long weekend.

Friends, Family, and Relationships

Thanksgiving is nearly always about friends and family. And while every college student has a unique situation when it comes to their nearest and dearest, nearly everyone needs a little love around the holidays. Some families are less supportive than others. If you find being back home stressful, try planning to see friends or a trip to your favorite coffee shop.

For many students, it's the first chance they have to visit with friends from high school. If you had a large circle of friends, getting to see everyone you wanted to see might be hard. After all, the Thanksgiving break is only a few days, and most people will have some family obligations as well. Because of this, it is wise to try to plan group activities where you can spend time with as many of your old friends as possible.

Dealing With Change

If Thanksgiving is the first time you've been home since the start of college, you may have a hard time adjusting to being back. After months of the freedom to come and go as you please, having a curfew again might be hard to swallow. Things around your town have probably changed, too. You may have new interests and hobbies that you didn't have before, which your family may or may not approve of. Dealing with change isn't easy for anyone, including your parents. Try to approach the differences with an open mind. College is about moving from childhood to your adult life and it's a process which is why you still have to follow your parent's rules—but it won't be like that forever. Be patient when your parents start treating you like you're back in high school; they need time to adjust to their child growing up. When you start getting frustrated remind yourself it's just a long weekend, you'll be back at school before you know it.

Dealing With Politics

It's not uncommon for students to return home with new ideas or insight into the politics of the world. If your politics no longer align with your families, it could lead to some unpleasant conversations. Many people attempt to avoid discussing politics during the holiday but if that's not an option, view it as a learning experience. Ask your family members to explain their political beliefs to you. Even if you don't agree, allowing others to feel like they've been heard can ease tensions. It's also easier to explain your beliefs when you have shown that you respect the other person enough to hear what they have to say.

Heading Home

Thanksgiving is one of the busiest travel times of the year, so knowing what to expect can prevent a fun trip home from turning into a travel nightmare. Knowing what to pack when heading home for Thanksgiving is half the battle. The other half is planning your route home.

If you're in charge of purchasing your airline ticket, you'll want to book it at least six weeks in advance. The Wednesday before Thanksgiving is one of the biggest travel days of the year, so you'll want to avoid it if you can. If you have a class scheduled that day, talk to your professor about ways to accommodate your absence so you can leave earlier in the week. Don't worry if you forgot to buy your ticket home; there are ways to find last-minute student travel deals . If you do have to leave on Wednesday, leave early and be prepared to deal with travel delays and crowds.

Staying on Top of Your Academics

For most students, Thanksgiving falls either right before or right after midterms. So just because you're relaxing and hanging out with people over the break doesn't mean you can let your academics slide. While staying on top of your coursework is challenging, it isn't impossible. Thanksgiving is your first real chance to get to learn how to manage homework over a college break . Even if your professors didn't assign you anything over the break, you probably have a larger project or paper that you can work on. Remember, the end of the semester is really only a few weeks away. The time will pass faster than you think and saying you have to study is a great excuse to get out of an awkward conversation with extended family members.

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The Linfield Review

Spring Break homework: A burden or necessary evil?

Anne Walkup , Opinions Editor March 25, 2019

Spring Break is aptly named—a break during the spring. Its purpose is not to give professors the chance to assign extra assignments, essays and preparation time for exams. But as midterm projects and exams often fall near the same time as Spring Break, many professors at Linfield do just that.

While this is not true of every professor, most students must complete course-related work during their Spring Break for at least one or two classes, and most are not pleased about it. Some students said they have as many as three midterm exams to take the week they return from Spring Break, some have lab reports and essays due and others have major projects to complete. Some students even said they have assignments they must turn in during the break.

Many students feel as though professors could easily rework their course schedules to avoid assigning work over the break. They could push the deadlines for assignments and exams to a slightly earlier or later date. Some professors say this is just the way assignments line up, or that they would rather give students a chance to complete bigger assignments during the break when they have more time, rather than pile it on top of all the other responsibilities students have while in school. But there is no Spring Break when the same courses are taught during fall semester. Fall and Thanksgiving Break fall before and after the midpoint in the semester. Therefore, professors do not have the option to assign midterm exams and assignments during or directly following a week off from classes. If professors can schedule midterms that are not near a break during the fall, there is no reason midterm assignments and exams could not be rescheduled in the spring to better accommodate Spring Break.

Not all students are disgruntled about having to do work over the break for the reason that it will interrupt their vacation in the Bahamas. Many students have responsibilities other than school and plan to designate more time to these when they are on break. Some students work 40-hour weeks during breaks—this may even be necessary for some to be able to pay for their education. Some students do not see their families often and look forward to spending time with them rather than devoting their time to course-related work. Students have said their parents have been upset when they return home for Spring Break with a backpack full of assignments to complete.

Professors must remember that though school is important, students lead balanced lives. Professors have 15 other weeks in the semester to assign as many assignments and exams as they see fit. Is it too much to ask for one week off? Students should return from Spring Break re-energized and ready push through the rest of the semester instead of burned out from dragging through the study grind over the break.

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Work Over Break

EPC “Sense-of-the-Senate” Resolution on Academic Work During Scheduled Breaks

Whereas student workloads have become an increasing cause of concern in relation to student mental health and stress; and

Whereas short breaks from academic requirements are intentionally included in the academic calendar to provide rest, respite and a break from schoolwork; and,

Whereas students are, at times, even assigned additional work over breaks.

Be it resolved , in keeping with the sense of the Senate on this issue, that while students are always expected to be prepared for class, framing assignments in such a way that necessitates academic work over Fall Break, Thanksgiving Break, February Break,  or Spring Break is strongly discouraged. Students should be given sufficient time to carry out assignments and prepare for classes without being required to devote their breaks to such preparation.

Be it further resolved that the Dean of the Faculty shall remind the faculty in the beginning of the semester reminder not to frame assignments that necessitate academic work over scheduled breaks

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Stop giving me homework on breaks: an open letter to professors.

Thanksgiving break is the one week we have of the entire fall semester to finally breathe . We don’t have off for another fall break in the middle of October like most other schools do, so this is our time to relax.

So, professors, I ask you, why did you give me so much homework to do on our one week off?

To me, a break means a break. I, or anyone else, shouldn’t be working on any sort of assignment. Yet, I have multiple due the Monday we return to class and am expected to make progress on final papers and projects due a few weeks from now.

Yes, I understand that there probably will never be a time when I don’t have something to work on until the semester is truly over. I get that some things require a lot of my effort, and I should work on them over a long period of time.

The thing that bothers me is when I’m sitting in class a day before leaving for break, and professors are telling me that they expect me to spend the majority of my time off working on an assignment for their class. Yet, the next sentence they say is something along the lines of, “Take this next week to enjoy time with your friends and family!” 

How am I supposed to truly spend time with my loved ones if I am just worried about staying on track with completing assignments for class? 

Now, this might not be the case for everyone, but I take my academics very seriously. Some students might just hear their professors say to work on assignments and have it go one ear and out the other. On the other hand, I hear professors say these kinds of things, and it just adds to my stress and anxiety over getting work done.

I’ve needed this week off for a while, and now that it’s here, I was excited to come home and not worry about school for a few days. I needed a mental reset so I can return after the break and finish off the semester strong.

Instead, I’m trying to stay on top of everything so that I don’t have to lock myself in the library all day to ensure that I don’t fall behind when class rolls around again next week.

Professors, I truly appreciate everything you do. I learn a lot from you, and I value the connections I’ve made with a lot of you throughout the years. But, please, I’m begging, give me a break when a break is needed. I’m only human.

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Emily is a third-year broadcast journalism student from New Jersey. She likes to think that being Italian and 5 feet tall are her biggest personality traits. You can probably catch her at Chick-fil-A at least two or three days out of the week. Feel free to contact her by emailing [email protected] .

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Thanksgiving break should actually give students a break

Many students like myself only get to see their families once during a semester — over Thanksgiving — and we would like to spend time with our families when we get that chance. But Hillsdale College’s Thanksgiving break often falls directly before “hell week,” the last full week of classes and the time when final papers are due. This means most students have to spend their “break” working on homework and projects instead of being with family. We fly home for Thanksgiving, worry about school for all four days, return to the two worst weeks of the semester, and go back home after just 14 days. 

Hillsdale College should start the semester earlier so we can actually take a break come Thanksgiving. Rather than enduring the summer heat of Georgia for a few extra weeks in August, I would prefer to get the stress of finals out of the way early so I can spend time with my family during the holidays. 

While my family plays board games and consumes massive amounts of cheese, I spend hours working on the projects my professors assign over break. I would like to emerge from my room long enough to say hello to my siblings and hug my extremely chubby cat, but I have to hide behind piles of homework to prepare for the coming storm.  

If we were sent home for the semester at Thanksgiving, we could all actually enjoy the time we have with our families. We wouldn’t have to worry about grades, or projects, or taking too much time off. We could actually see our families without the added pressure of exams looming on the horizon.

Although we’ve already started the semester at the usual time, we could still stay home after Thanksgiving break. Yes, this would mean we’d end up missing several end-of-the-year events. But really, do we actually think those would happen?

We’ve been relatively sheltered from COVID-19 in our Hillsdale health bubble, but we will all be venturing out into the germ-filled unknown for Thanksgiving break. Many states are starting to see a spike in cases, and the United States had its highest number of cases ever last week.  

When we leave Hillsdale for break, the likelihood is that at least some of us will contract the coronavirus. Like earlier in the semester, the college will probably shut down most events to stop the spread, and we will essentially live in isolation for two weeks before going home to spread the disease to our families.

Most other colleges conducting in-person classes have chosen to send students home permanently after break to limit the spread. If we come back to Hillsdale after break, many of us could contract the coronavirus and spread it to our families unwittingly. We can prevent this by going home early and finishing remotely this semester.  

This semester could act like the trial run for future semesters. While future fall semesters wouldn’t end with remote learning, we could get a taste of more time with family. Even if this experiment ends in a disaster, we would still be keeping our professors, friends, and family safe. Thanksgiving break should be about family and being thankful, not having to spend a lot of time on papers and exam study.  

Strength may rejoice in the challenge, but even the strongest need rest to recover. Life has challenges, but we shouldn’t focus solely on those challenges. Part of the richness of life comes from building meaningful relationships with others, and we should all be able to enjoy those relationships when we have the chance.  

Lillian Tweten is a sophomore studying politics.

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Professors trying to help by assigning homework on breaks

Published 2009-10-28T00:00:00Z”/>

James Jelenko

As Thanksgiving break approaches, I can feel the excitement gradually swelling up inside me like a Butterball turkey, plumping as it slowly roasts. Thanksgiving is a time for reflecting on our lives, being grateful for what we have and ingesting a week’s worth of food and drink in a matter of hours. I love it.

But there is one aspect of the holiday season which many students dread &- the inevitable homework over Thanksgiving break. There always seems to be that one spiteful professor who has nothing better to do than devise cruel new ways to ruin our vacation.

Sometimes it’s blatant, “Read pages three through 112 over the break &- you will be tested.” Sometimes it’s a bit more insidious, like an innocuous due date on the syllabus which just happens to coincide with the day classes resume. However they do it, professors always find a way to swindle some of our time.

But, believe it or not, your professors don’t congregate in some clandestine location, all huddled together, scheming ways to steal your vacation &- at least, most don’t. If a professor assigns material over a break, it’s probably in the best interest of the student to study it.

We students tend to think of vacation time as our own. If anyone wants to take it away, it’ll be over our cold, dead bodies. To be honest, I’m no different, but as much as I hate to admit it, there is some validity to the notion that homework over a break is a good thing.

I can’t speak for others, but I tend to get relatively brain dead when I’m not in school. I still engage in leisure reading, but it lacks a level of critical analysis that is essential to mental development. Homework, however, forces my mind to function on a level much closer to that which is required for higher education.

That’s why professors burden us with loads of homework over Thanksgiving break.

It’s not a heartless act of sadism. They genuinely want to keep our minds sharp so when we return to school we don’t feel like lobotomy patients trying to learn calculus in Chinese. It’s a considerate effort on their part to prepare us for the future &- and by that I don’t just mean our imminent return to class.

We’re in college to get an education, but we also need preparation for professional life. When we leave the cushy embrace of collegiate life to enter the professional sector, we’ll be expected to work all year. Even if you plan on teaching, you’ll have work to do correcting papers, tests and quizzes while cursing students for getting time off.

Think of doing homework or projects over Thanksgiving break as practice for real life. It isn’t always fun being responsible, but in a few short years you won’t have much of a choice in the matter, so you may as well get used to it.

The nice part is, for now, you still get a full week to loaf around, watch football and eat too much. So this year, while you sit at home stuffing your face with turkey, mashed potatoes and cranberry sauce, do the little bit of homework you have and just be thankful you’re still in school. It could be a lot worse.

James Jelenko can be reached at<a href= “javascript:void(location.href=’mailto:’+String.fromCharCode(106,106,101,108,101,110,107,111,64,116,104,101,111,114,105,111,110,46,99,111,109)+’?subject=re%3A%20Professors%20trying%20to%20help%20by%20assigning%20homework%20on%20breaks’)”> [email protected] </a>

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Students call for less homework over break

By Minqi Kong Photo Editor [email protected]

College life includes intellectual development, socializing, and fun. It also includes midterms, research papers and other stressful projects. Built-in vacation days like our fall break are a time for students to recuperate, to regulate a busy period of schooling, and to relax. However, many students say that too much homework is piled on during these breaks and takes away the time that they should be resting. Break is the time that students can actually relax, so we want professors to know that we need our break, instead of assigning overwhelming assignments. Based on the data from the American College Health Association Fall 2018 Undergraduate Reference Group Data, it shows that overall 69.6% of students felt depression and anxiety from college or university. No homework or light will be better for students’ mental health.

Breaks and holidays are essential times when people can be freed from the stresses of work and built up anxiety of studying since the beginning of the school year. It’s for relaxation, it’s for fun, it’s not for using all the vacation time to write all the homework. Willow Schaefer ‘24 said she was assigned a lot of homeworks during the Fall Break. “For one class, I had to write an essay and also had to read like 70 pages, and that was for one class. And for another class, I had to do like it wasn’t a lot of work for say, but it was like really tedious work. So, I had to do like, I think 30 something questions out of textbooks, but it’s like forever, because it’s tedious,” Schaefer said. “It took me the entire weekend to finish it. Because we have Thursday and Friday and I spent Saturday and Sunday all just doing homework for these classes.”

Schaefer also said many of her professors do not put all of the assignments on the syllabus at the beginning of the semester. This can make it hard for students to plan ahead. “Most of my professors don’t put specific works on the syllabus. They have what we are going to do on the syllabus, but they don’t have the specific assignments, so we can’t predict what assignments we’re going to get at what time,” Schaefer said. Professors should clearly state on their syllabus if there are any assignments that need to be turned in, or prepared and completed, around the holidays. This would decrease stress for students.

Jenna Walker, ’24 echoed Schaefer’s concerns. “If I use Thursday as a break and I had to spend all of Sunday and some of Saturday to catch up on the work that I missed. Because I use my break as a break. So I technically didn’t really get a break. So, I only have two days off which is a normal weekend,” Walker said. “I personally think that there should be no homework during the break at all, like professors should not be allowed to assign homework over any sort of break.”

Jeffery Trumbower, the vice president for academic affairs said there is no stated policy for professors assigning work that is due or just after a school break, like the fall break we just had and the coming Thanksgiving break. “Professors can give an exam or make things due just after a break if they want. If a student doesn’t want to do school work during the break, then they would need to plan ahead to get the project done or study before the break begins,” Trumbower said.

Tim Mackin, associate dean of the college, is aware of student’s concerns and anxiety. It’s hard for schools to adjust the assignments from different classes. “We should always be listening to students’ concerns. It’s always a balance between all the material you need to get done for a particular class to prepare for the next class. The nice thing is after this semester there are a lot of breaks over the summer, so I think that’s one way people look at it. There are a lot of breaks built into the semester. But, I guess that we should always be listening to students who are worried about those things.” Mackin said.

Students need a full break to adjust to the stress and fatigue they have experienced since the beginning of the school year. The purpose of giving students a break from school is to give all students a mandatory rest time for working so hard for so long. This vacation is what all students deserve, and it defeats the purpose of a vacation if it is filled with a lot of homework and takes the same amount of time or more than usual to complete.

The Thanksgiving break is coming, professors should reconsider the assignments they will be going to assign for students and allow students the opportunity to fully rest and recuperate before final exams.

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Why Do Some Professors Assign Homework Over Spring Break?

Professor David Bates teaches in the classroom on April 28.

Anna Kuschel May 3, 2023

As the bus left the hotel in Minnesota at 6 a.m. on day seven of the Wind Symphony’s Spring Break tour, freshman Kierra Mohalley took out her iPad to work on assignments due the Monday after break. 

Though the exhaustion from the tour was overwhelming, Mohalley knew that if she didn’t put time into her homework while on the bus, she wouldn’t have it finished by Monday morning. The Wind Symphony wasn’t scheduled to return to CUC until late Sunday evening, leaving little time for homework. 

“I had art projects for my 3D Basic Studio class I had to do in person once we got back to CUC,” said Mohalley. “This motivated me to keep doing my homework despite feeling tired and a bit carsick.”

Many CUC students don’t go home over spring break, as athletes travel for games or stay on campus for practices, and musicians in Wind Symphony and Kapelle go on their spring tour. Though students choose to be part of these activities, it can be difficult to return to school after break without getting the chance to relax.

“For students, I see break as a time to take a breath, rest, regroup and make a mental plan for how they want to push to the end of the semester once they get back to campus,” said assistant professor of business Donald Grenholm. “Students have a lot to juggle during the school year, so break allows them to reconsider their priorities and time management while there is still time to improve their standings in the course.”

Having homework that is due either over break or on the first day of classes following break is challenging as well, as students may not have time to complete these tasks. 

“I see students struggle to get back into things after break,” said David Bates, Ph.D., an associate professor of history. “I have always found March to be the most difficult month in the spring semester, because everyone is dragging a bit.” 

Historians trace the origins of spring break all the way back to the ancient Greeks and Romans, according to a 2013 article in The Atlantic. They dedicated three days during the spring to honor Dionysus, the god of wine. They celebrated the arrival of spring, the season of fertility and awakening. 

The idea of the modern spring break was introduced when swim coach Sam Ingram from Colgate University in New York brought his swim team to Fort Lauderdale to train at an Olympic-size pool there. The city saw this as a great economic opportunity, and hosted the first College Coaches’ Swim Forum in 1938. From there, the idea of a modern spring break grew, one that we are still observing today.

Though CUC students have a spring break, it can often be a time filled with tests, papers, and other assignments that distract from the idea of taking a break from school work and relaxing. Additionally, students who are on school trips are often following a very demanding schedule that leaves little time to do homework. 

“I think spring break should be a time for students to recharge without assignments hanging over their head,” said Bates. “I’m not sure how students would be able to get additional work done anyway, if they are traveling the whole time.” 

Senior percussionist Adam Schweyer had to complete a midterm for his Lutheran Teacher Vocation and Methods course while on Wind Symphony tour over spring break. 

“I usually try to get homework done before spring break, but that didn’t work for me this year,” said Schweyer. “I would say this was a reasonable amount of work, though it was especially stressful because we were on the Wind Symphony tour.” 

Though Schweyer found time to finish the midterm on the bus, he said the lack of quality internet connection while on the road could have been a big problem if he had more homework to complete. 

Schweyer’s midterm was assigned by Professor Jared Stiek on Tuesday, Feb. 28, before spring break began. Students had until the end of the day on Saturday, March 4 to complete the assignment. 

Stiek set this deadline to give students flexibility and allow them extra time to complete the essay exam. He hoped to alleviate stress, and did not want students to have to work on this assignment over break. 

“Every student has to balance their schedule to accomplish their schoolwork,” said Stiek. “If a student waits to complete this work until hours before the deadline, then the work can be stress-inducing.” 

Stiek understands the demands of tour, as he was a student musician as well at Concordia University Nebraska. Because of this, he aims to set deadlines for assignments in a way that gives students the chance to avoid last-minute stressful situations. 

Even when teachers assign homework over break, many are conscious of what students have going on in their lives, and try to make it manageable for them. Some teachers avoid giving work over break, while others choose to assign a bit more homework than usual the week before spring break. 

“This means the week before spring break can be stressful, but that is the nature of midterms,” said Mary Goetting, Ph.D., a professor of mathematics.

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A Brief Note to Professors Who Assign Homework Over Thanksgiving Break

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Thank professors for homework over break

Brian Nguyen

By Kimberly Ngoh , Columnist December 4, 2018

I hate to admit it, but professors may be doing us a favor by assigning us homework over breaks. As much as I’d like to believe that everyone needs an occasional dose of schadenfreude, this course of action is actually a very wise proposition. Take it from me, initially guilty of carping over the break hardly being a break with homework thrown in, but now reaping the benefits of this scheme.

Returning from break usually results in my treating the following week as a break too — especially when it feels so close to the end of the semester. With just two more problem sets, or a final project left per class, I can easily slip into the likes of senioritis, leaving me to deal with bouncing between the temptation of giving up or working to maintain my GPA.

Aside from that, I tend to disengage from learning when an exam is over, or when a break comes around. If allowed a whole nine days off, I am capable of forgetting the daily routine it took twelve weeks to program.

With the above-mentioned tendencies, and finals a mere three weeks after the break, letting completely loose can be detrimental to my grades. Twelve strenuous weeks can be easily wiped out by my lack of motivation post-holiday, with my mind pining for yet more time off. Eluding this trap is necessary and made possible with the assignment of homework over Thanksgiving.

With classes out of the way, there is definitely time available to work on the problem sets you diligently complete every week, on top of classes and other activities. Besides, if it wasn’t assigned over break, it does not equate to a mysterious disappearance off the syllabus. It’s either crammed in somewhere else in the semester or thrown in where you can attempt it sans the stress of classes, with a well-rested brain and happy tummy.

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That being said, doing homework over break keeps you on track, avoiding an interruption to the rhythm of your weekly schedule. Returning relaxed, as opposed to fretting over the incomplete work, or struggling to recollect where your professor last left off, will prepare you to confront the last stretch of the semester head-on. There will be no need for a recovery period after the break, having maintained your work flow over the holidays.

Furthermore, the syllabus is there to help one plan ahead for the semester, be it for weekend getaways, sports competitions, parties or events and Thanksgiving break. Planning ahead can be tedious, albeit its benefits outweigh the effort it takes to do so. To quote Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, the author of The Little Prince, “A goal without a plan is just a wish.”

You’ll hardly ever find yourself mired in a situation of unnecessary stress prior to finals, allowing yourself to perform optimally and enjoy your winter break to the fullest — there’s no way professors can assign you work then.

Kimberly is a junior in Engineering.

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Opinion: teachers should not assign hw over break.

Osaivbie Uhunmwuangho , ENN Staff | November 15, 2017

Osaivbie Uhunmwuangho

Juniors Jacquelyn Evans and Madison Turman finish work before Thanksgiving Break.

Students and teachers are given holiday breaks for Thanksgiving, Christmas, and spring break. It is a time to relax and avoid anything that has to do with school. However, that does not always happen. Some teachers give students assignments the Friday before a long break, expecting students to complete it. Because of this, it is difficult to enjoy a break made for relaxing without thinking about how and when the work will be completed.

As stated in the MISD student handbook, teachers must “provide homework-free extended holidays.” Some teachers already have an agenda plan that is scheduled days in advance for their students, finding a sort of loophole through the policy.

AP World History teacher, Jennifer Swegler, says that students know what they need to do, so it is based on whether or not they want to do it.

“We’re instructed not really to [assign homework] that’s stated. They have a copy of the reading schedule and they will have a quiz when they get back from break, but it’s been given to them since the beginning of the school year. So they know when their quiz is. Parents have been informed of the said readings. It’s up to the kids whether or not they’re gonna read over that break,” said Swegler.

Junior Madison Turman however feels this sentiment leads to some students feeling overwhelmed and uneasy about their impending break.

“I stress out about every little thing. It takes me a long time just to do my normal homework, this just adds to the pressure,” said Turman.

Swegler thinks though assigning homework over break gives students an idea of what college is like and they should not be surprised when things are assigned at any given time.

However junior Kasra Kolyaei doesn’t think the long term benefits out weight the short term effects.

“It makes me angry when I have work to do over break. It is my time to relax, and not stress. If I get work, I feel it kind of sends the message that the teacher doesn’t care about my mental health,” said Kolyaei.

Personally, a holiday break allows me to spend quality time with my family and friends. Although it may still be possible to do so, working over holiday makes me feel obligated to rest less and work more.

Algebra II and statistics teacher, Tiffany Neelley, says that she does not assign students homework, because she thinks students deserve a break and they are are able to work harder when they come back.

“I feel like I’d want to enjoy my break, so I want the students to as well. When they come back from break, they’re ready to enjoy and more rested. Sometimes when you don’t have a break, you just kind of get burned out; so I want them to have a break so they’re ready to learn when they get back,” said Neelley.

Junior Jacquelyn Evans appreciates that some teachers recognize the importance of giving students some time off.

“I always feel overwhelmed over break. Thanksgiving is a big travel holiday for my family, and we are really busy. That’s why I usually don’t do any work over break,” said Evans.

After working consistently on schoolwork, students can become more stressed. I personally agree with what Neelley’s perspective. I think students will be more alert and pay better attention when they are not tired. Time away from school let’s students forget about their class rank or whether or not their teacher has updated their grades in Skyward. Another reason teachers should hold back on holiday assignments is for the students who travel. Most students would not want to take their giant backpack filled with textbooks and homework on the plane or on a long-distance car ride and try to complete it.

Junior, Shekinah Agcaoila says that the point of a break is not about school, but about quality time with family members.

“On Thanksgiving breaks, it literally says ‘break.’ It’s time to spend time with your family and relatives you haven’t seen for a long time. And for teachers, I don’t think they want to check work or grades,” says Agcaolia.

When students are not in class to receive an assignment, they might just have to complete it during a time they usually wouldn’t. Neelley also says that it is reasonable to assign students homework when they are not caught up in their schoolwork, due to their absence.

“Students that are behind, I think it will benefit them because they have more time to work through the problems. Also, it could benefit students that lose some of the knowledge while they’re gone, they forget things, so it could just refresh their memory,” said Neelley.

If teachers are going to assign work over the holidays, it should not be overdone because breaks are given for a reason. I believe it is time to take your mind off school stress and relax a bit. I would most likely procrastinate doing the work because it is not something that makes me excited. While it is true, homework over long breaks keep your memory fresh, I still think students deserve a work-free break.

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