N.C. State Considers Cancelling Good Friday Holiday

The University Standing Committee on Registration, Records and Calendar discussed dropping the holiday and other measures to shorten the spring academic calendar in its first meeting.

Anna Wilson, the committee's chairwoman, said the body has not made any final decisions.

"We are considering all options and all scenarios," Wilson said.

"I think there is too much controversy around the words 'Good Friday' at this time," she said.

N.C. State's academic calendar has twice as many spring holidays as fall holidays.

Other options include moving Spring Break so that it falls within the traditional Easter holiday time period.

N.C. State's calendar gives students about a week off for both Spring Break and Easter.

Russ Broadwell, a N.C. State junior majoring in civil engineering, said the university should keep the Good Friday holiday.

Broadwell also said he disagreed with the other options.

"Spring Break is pretty good where it is," he said. "I wouldn't move it."

Amelia Davis, a sophomore chemistry major at N.C. State, said she opposed eliminating the Good Friday holiday.

Davis said the other options, such as moving Spring Break to fall during the Easter holiday, would be better.

David Lanier, chairman of the UNC-Chapel Hill's Academic Calendar Committee, said the University has never considered dropping Good Friday from its calendar.

"The only holidays we take into consideration are North Carolina state holidays," Lanier said.

He said the Calendar Committee also will take into consideration Duke's academic calendar.

Lanier said UNC-CH has more problems with the length of the university's fall semester.

Because of overlapping programs such as the Robertson Scholars, university administrators are planning for the calendars to be somewhat similar and include the same academic holidays.

Lanier also said UNC-CH received criticism for trying to drop Labor Day from the list of University academic holidays a few years ago.

Wilson said N.C. State students should register their opinions on the Registration, Records, and Calendar Committee's Web site.

A final decision by the board will be published in the Spring.

Wilson said the N.C State committee will continue the debate to determine how best to serve the university community.

"We must determine how best to support an effective calendar for faculty and students."

The State & National Editor can be reached at stntdesk@unc.edu.