For students, two fewer weeks of summer

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Compared to other universities, the 2009 summer break for Central Michigan University students will be a week or two shorter.

Scheduled to begin May 9, CMU’s break ends Aug. 23 this year. At other universities in the Mid-American Conference, including Eastern Michigan University and Western Michigan University, classes do not begin until a week into September.

According to Registrar Karen Hutslar, the new fall schedule is affected by the calendar year and the new faculty contract.

“The faculty contract is not a primary factor, but the new scheduling gives them extra time to turn in grades,” she said. “It’s a huge cost saver to the school to start out earlier. It cuts out two weeks of energy use.”

Traverse City freshman Jacqueline Voice said she does not believe the disparity is fair because it gives CMU students less time at home and at summer jobs.

“It’s really disappointing to hear about other schools getting longer breaks than Central,” she said. “I work for a theater company back home that starts in May. If the breaks get any shorter, I would have to find another job.”

Eastern’s summer break starts April 27 and ends Sept. 8, and Western’s summer break is scheduled from April 25 to Sept. 7. Michigan State University’s summer break runs from May 9 to Sept. 1.

“I don’t care,” said Grand Ledge senior Lucas Parrish. “It’s a week less of summer classes. I would care if I had to be here longer or if I had a summer job, but with such a rough economy, I have nothing to go back to.”

Many students are feeling the economic squeeze and some still find the shorter break troubling. Alpena sophomore Jaclyn Benson spent her last summer looking for a job.

“I couldn’t find one. I applied everywhere in Big Rapids and with the summer break getting shorter, it’s going to make summer classes shorter and harder,” he said.

university@cm-life.com