Changes on tap

There have been many speculations about how the fall schedule will change due to the impact of hur-ricanes Gustav and Ike.
“The changes in the fall 2008 schedule minimizes the impact of the existing schedule by implicating changes at the end of the semester,” says Mwalimu J. Shujaa (em-wah-lee-moo) (shoe-jah) the Executive Vice Chancellor & Provost of Southern University. Shujaa states that all make-up days will be made up at the end of the fall semester.
One concern of many students and professors is whether or not there will be Saturday and Sunday make up days. According to the new schedule, there will be no weekend make up days added.
“Will we still have a fall break in October?” asked Robert Lawson, a junior chemistry major from Gonzales. Lawson said that many people are saying that the fall break will be canceled this semester.
“Southern University will still have the fall break this semester in October,” states Shujaa.
Fall break is still being held on Monday, October 13, and Tuesday, October 14. The Thanksgiving holiday, which starts on Thursday, November 27 and ends on Sunday, November 30, will also still be preserved. The last day of classes will remain the same and be held on Wednesday, Nov. 26, but the classes that were cancelled in September will be made up on Monday, December 1st through Thursday December 4.
Classes that were cancelled on Tuesday, September 2 will be held Monday, December 1st. Classes that were cancelled Wednesday, September 3 will be held Tuesday, December 2. Classes that were cancelled on Thursday, September 4 will be held Wednesday, December 3. Classes that were cancelled on Friday, September 5 will be held on Thursday, December 4. Friday, December 5 through Sunday, December 7, will be concentrated study days which no classes will be held. Monday, December 8 through Thursday December 11 will be the new days to take the final exams. The conversions for the final examination schedule states that finals that were to be held on Wednesday, December 3 will be given at the same time on Monday December 8. Finals set for Thursday, December 4 will be given Tuesday December 9. Finals set for Friday December 5 and Monday, December 8 will be given Wednesday, December 10. Finals set for Saturday, December 6 will be given Thursday, December 11. Because two final times will be scheduled for Wednesday, December 10, there will now only be four days of final examinations.
“There was a meeting held with the Academic Council and it is agreed for grad seniors to take their finals up to week before other students,” Says Dr. Shujaa, “Professors will be notified that arrangements can and will be made for the graduating seniors.” Monday December 8 will also be the day final grades will be posted on the web for graduating seniors only. The grades will be due by 7:00 p.m. Commencement will still be held on Friday, December 12.
“We didn’t want to change the date of graduation due to family plans that have been made around this day,” states Dr. Shujaa. The final grades for all students that attend Southern University will be posted on the web on Saturday, December 13 and will be due by 7:00 p.m. that day. The changes in the schedule allows SUBR to retain a cushion in it just in case other school closings become necessary.
“I like the way our new schedule looks,” says Miranda Nixon, a Junior Political Science Major from Atlanta. “We get to keep our days off and still have time to study for finals.” Campus Housing and Dining will close on Thursday, December 12, 2008.