Classes still in session day before Thanksgiving break

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Not teaching today’s session of Law and the Media is not an option for journalism professor Sue Carter.

Carter’s class is scheduled to meet today from 6-8:50 p.m. and she said she will be in the classroom — regardless of whether her students decide to attend.

Carter is one of many MSU professors who decided to hold classes today despite some students choosing to skip classes and begin their Thanksgiving weekend early.

“Would you take a leave of absence simply because you wanted to go somewhere?” Carter said. “This is my job. This is my responsibility to my students and the university.”

Academic Governance did not discuss the possibility of canceling university classes on the Wednesday prior to Thanksgiving during past considerations of MSU’s current academic calendar, Secretary for Academic Governance Jacqueline Wright said.

“It has not been brought up in Academic Governance,” Wright said. “That’s really under the prerogative of (MSU Provost Kim Wilcox).”

MSU’s academic calendar is set, said Cathy Burns, a communications manager in the Office of the Provost.

“It’s not something you can just change and it’s not a discussion item,” Burns said.

Wilcox declined to comment.

Tom Carroll, a professor in the College of Social Science, said although he does not teach classes on Wednesdays this semester, he has canceled past afternoon classes on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving. He said canceling a class depends on the time it’s held.

“The problem is, where’s the cutting point?” Carroll said. “Is it noon or 2 p.m.? Most people live in Michigan, so for most people, probably a short drive gets people home.”

Students’ attendance in classes held before the holiday weekend starts can vary as much as professors’ approaches to handling the day many students view as an extension of their break.

Two of Becca Gabriel’s three Wednesday classes will not meet today, but the animal science freshman said she is not planning to stay on campus for her remaining class.

“I’m not going to it,” Gabriel said. “I’m going home tonight, actually, so I can sleep in my own bed for an extra night.”

For fisheries and wildlife junior Matthew Bach, it did not make sense to skip his 12:20 p.m. class.

“It’s class and I paid for it, so I might as well go,” Bach said.

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