Seattle Pacific University’s academic calendar will change from its current winter break schedule of six weeks to a three-and-a-half week-long break starting in the 2024-25 academic year. In 2020, to mitigate the transmission of possible COVID-19 exposure, the university extended winter break in hopes of curbing sickness.
In a recent statement, University Registrar Kenda Gatlin, voiced the administrative reasoning behind this change.
“The calendar we currently operate under was never meant to be a permanent change – it was in place during COVID based on the concern that bringing students back after Thanksgiving could create a COVID-super-spreader event on campus,” Gatlin said.
The six-week break has been the schedule for the whole SPU community since winter of 2020. At the end of every November, students pack up their lives and move back home for six weeks to enjoy the holidays with family.
The extended winter break has pushed back the overall end of the academic year, meaning that SPU’s summer break, as it has been since 2020, starts weeks later than the majority of other universities.
Some have enjoyed the extra time off, while others prefer the previous schedule. Senior mechanical engineering student, Joel Martin has experienced difficulty in finding internships which will accommodate for the differing schedule.
“I’m glad that SPU is taking steps to support students seeking to complete internships over the summer by adjusting the academic schedule in this way,” Martin said.
Alaisa Martinez, a third-year international sustainable development student, was surprised to hear the news of a shorter winter break. Martinez has enjoyed only needing to travel back home once to spend both holidays with her family, as she lives three hours from campus.
The Snoqualmie Pass – which Martinez travels through – is often shut down in harsher winter months. This leaves air travel as the only option, however expensive.
“Now, instead of taking a bus back home, I’m going to have to fly back home and then fly back to Seattle. Which is really expensive, and I bet it’s also really expensive for international and out-of-state students,” Martinez said.
Alum and 2023 graduate Taylor Schmidt reflected on a time in her freshman year when many students were sick after returning from break. Once students returned for final class instruction and exams, the fast return to campus caused an increase in flu season sickness.
“I ended up catching it too — I took final exams from my dorm with a 102° fever and did not handle it responsibly because I had never been sick away from home before,” Schmidt said.
With the current plan to revert back to a shorter three-and-a-half week-long break, Martinez is concerned for on-campus students who may not have the financial security to travel long-distance round-trips in a shorter time.
“For people who do live on campus, I’m hoping that they don’t shut down the dorms for them. I’m assuming that lots of people can’t go home because it is such a short period of time,” Martinez said.
Apart from the concerns of a shortened break, there are benefits of a stronger college community when staying on campus for the holiday season.
Many students who came into the dorms during COVID-19 have never experienced the tree-lighting in Tiffany Loop or other traditions of good tidings and comfort. Schmidt reminisces fondly on her festive time in the dorms her freshman year.
“This was a special experience for me in 2019 — seeing campus all lit up and going to resident holiday events was really fun,” Schmidt said.
As the holiday season is upon us, students will soon finish their exams and pack their bags to head home for an extended break with hometown friends and family. This time in 2024 will look different for students, and it is clear that, like the falling of leaves and the shift in seasons, SPU’s academic calendar is on course to change.
