Although Dead Day truly was “dead” this year, it will be alive and kicking next school year.

Dead Day was removed from both semesters of this year’s academic calendar, but after a one-year hiatus, it will return.

“I’m sure everyone’s expectation is to see it back on the calendar,” Judy Smrha, assistant dean for institutional effectiveness, said. “The faculty get the day off too … so a professor isn’t holding class and then the very next day giving a final. So, for better or for worse, a number of people wanted to see it come back.”

Smrha said she figured the same number of people didn’t want to see the return of Dead Day.

“I think it’s a waste of time because it just makes us stay in school longer, and people can study the night before instead of wasting a whole day,” sophomore Carly Young said. “I don’t think people spend all day studying anyway.”

Having Dead Day isn’t the only change students will see in the 2009-2010 academic calendar, though. A weeklong Thanksgiving break also is in the schedule.

Although Baker hasn’t had a weeklong Thanksgiving break recently, Smrha said she assumes students will be excited about it.

“I think most faculty can tell you that trying to hold class on the Monday and the Tuesday was always a certain amount of challenge,” she said. “For the most part, the faculty have not historically found those two days particularly useful. That’s not to say there was total unanimity amongst the faculty that this was a good idea. I think most people in the faculty are cautiously optimistic that this is a good solution, but the vast majority of them are waiting to see how it turns out.”

Winter break also will be longer than usual, with the fall semester ending Dec. 10. <br/>Junior Rose Garrison said she likes longer breaks.Junior Rose Garrison said she likes longer breaks.
Junior Rose Garrison said she likes longer breaks.

“I like having longer breaks. There’s more time to unwind and be with family,” she said.

Having longer breaks, however, means starting school earlier and ending it later. The fall semester begins Aug. 19 and the spring semester ends May 20.

“I don’t know what I think about it,” Garrison said. “I think that when it actually comes, I’ll hate it, but it doesn’t really impact me very much.”