A Whole Week Off

This year, Thanksgiving break at Harvard College begins on Wednesday and lasts until the following Monday. Although this year’s break, which, for the first time in recent memory, includes Wednesday, it’s high time that Harvard come to its senses, stop equivocating, and give us the whole week off.

This year, we know that the administration reviewed a petition to declare the whole week a University holiday but that the petition was denied because of concerns over the condensed length of the semester. We appreciate that Provost Steven E. Hyman entertained the proposal—made in large part as a response to student requests—in the first place and, of course, that it led to an extra day off.  Even still, we feel this was a missed opportunity. Even with the condensed semester, Harvard, if it wanted, could create a week-long holiday such as the one many of our peer institutions enjoy.

Yale, for instance, began classes Aug. 31 this year; it will end fall classes Dec. 2. Spring classes, however, start Jan. 9, and they end April 23. At Harvard, by comparison, classes began this term Aug. 24, and they end Dec. 2. Classes resume Jan. 23, and they end April 25. In the fall term, at least, these dates—to us—look remarkably similar and remarkably aligned. If the reason for denying the proposal was, as a University spokesman wrote to The Crimson, over a concern for “three additional missed days,” could those three days perhaps be replaced by an earlier start day in August? As it stands—in what surely ranks among the most absurd scheduling arrangements in recorded history—“Monday” classes in the fall semester begin on a Wednesday, so might it be possible, perhaps, to begin classes at the actual start of the week? And, in doing so, have a week off in late November?

The Crimson will not attempt to convince its readers that Thanksgiving is a holiday of tremendous significance—in addition to the comforts of family, home, and celebration, it is also a much needed respite from the pressures of the fall semester before exams begin. We realize that not all Harvard students are able to travel home for the holiday next week, but—regardless of whether they celebrate next Thursday at home with their families or at a dining hall Thanksgiving feast with their friends—all members of the Harvard community deserve the week off.

If the administration tried this year to bring about such a change to the schedule, we have two words of advice for the year ahead: Try again.