EDITORIAL: The spring semester should look more like the fall
So far, Central Michigan University's gameplan for our return to campus has been relatively sound. Reported COVID-19 cases among the CMU community have remained steady but without any drastic increases.
Students returned early this semester with anticipation of ending class earlier than normal. Though shortened, the 14-week semester has been challenging.
Digital burnout is real. Professors are assigning more homework and projects than this time last year, and that was when we were pushing for a fall break.
To make matters worse, students learned a few weeks ago there would not be a Spring Break. Instead, five "wellness days" will be put into affect throughout the spring semester.
The decision was made with the physical health of the Mount Pleasant area in mind. Not giving students a weeklong break will, hypothetically, reduce the risk associated with travel and large gatherings.
By ridding of any sort of prolonged break in the spring, CMU is neglecting the mental health of its students. Administrators are underplaying how a break halfway through the semester would benefit the overall wellbeing of students.
This decision is a reflection of the university's trust in the student body. By making the choice to not have a Spring Break, administrators are telling students they don't trust them to spend a break avoiding travel and large parties -- reasonably so.
However, nothing is going to prevent students from spending a week in Key West, Panama City, New Orleans or Myrtle Beach in the spring. Many students have seen the online format of this semester to go on vacation and road trips across the country.
Ultimately, next semester will boil down, once again, to a collaborative effort between faculty, staff, students and administrators to uphold the health and safety of each other.
That starts with professors upholding their end of the bargain and acknowledge wellness days as they're intended.
Wellness days will be wasted unless they are times away from typical stressors -- classwork, projects, meetings. Students are concerned these days will be like a typical Sunday night to catch up on homework and other projects.
Before Spring Break is absolutely out of the question, administrators should once again consider the schedule for next semester. Perhaps, a plan that looks more like this semester would benefit students.
A shortened 14 week semester would be better than going 16 straight weeks without a break.
