By Sabrina Betterly
News Editor
Since the coming of COVID-19, snow days have become a thing of the past. Whenever KU shuts down for a snow day, classes instead meet online on Zoom rather than having no classes at all.
When asked about future plans for the 2021-2022 academic year in terms of snow days, KU President Dr. Hawkinson said that the positives of going virtual is that the majority of faculty and students have the ability to learn remotely. He added that if issues arise where classes can’t meet online, then faculty would go back to the old policy of making classes up at a later date.
Credit: Kutztown University of Pennsylvania Facebook
However, some students are feeling fatigued from the onslaught of classes and minimal breaks.
“I get professors wanting to continue lessons, but to be honest just having a day off would be really nice, especially since we lost spring break,” said KU sophomore Julia Yaniger.
One student, KU junior Hailey Johnson, mentioned that while we have wellness days in replacement of spring break, it still doesn’t feel enough of a break to relieve students of stress and that the loss of real snow days doesn’t help.
Other students don’t mind it, saying it’s never been a day off.
“Pre COVID-19 on a snow day, I would just catch up on school work anyway. It’s not a scheduled day off, so I would still spend time on my academics,” said Alex White, a KU senior.
One professor said he seems to handle the snow days better than students.
“Holding classes via Zoom instead of in person is not any more difficult at this point, except for the logistics of helping my first grader, who is also home from school, do his Zoom lessons while I teach.” said Dr. Krieg, a professor from the English department. He has been teaching classes using hybrid instruction this semester.
Krieg also mentioned that not having to cram in missed days due to snow at the end of the semester is helpful.
Despite many students’ exhaustion, there’s hope on the horizon for students looking to get back normal breaks.
Dr. Hawkinson anticipates that due to expert opinions, college students should be eligible for vaccines by the summer or sooner, and he believes that in the 2021-2022 academic year, KU will have a fall break and a Thanksgiving break like before the pandemic.
On a more positive note, he also believes during the spring 2022 semester, spring break will be back to normal with traditional time off.