By Diana McElfresh
Editor-In-Chief
The Faculty Senate will convene today to vote on the possibility of a new open period.
The open period, as it stands, is an amount of time where no classes are scheduled. It offers students and faculty the opportunity to gather for meetings and to have plenty of time to eat lunch.
The current open period, Tuesday and Thursday from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., is one option. The senate will consider voting for a Monday, Wednesday and Friday open period, to run from 12:30 to 1:20 p.m.
Anneliese Quinlan, senior political science major and president of Student Government Association (SGA), said SGA has its doubts about the newly proposed Monday, Wednesday and Friday free period.
“The SGA Student Affairs Committee predicts the second option will lead to overcrowding in the Hickey (Dining Hall) during the lunch hour and problems for students and clubs that meet during the open period,” Quinlan said.
Any concerns with the schedule can be sent to Quinlan at quinlama13@bonaventure.edu.
Colleen Corey, junior marketing major, said she prefers the current Tuesday, Thursday model.
“I think I prefer the Tuesday, Thursday because it is a longer time period for meetings and for getting work completed than it would be for Monday, Wednesday and Friday,” Corey said.
Lizzie Austin, junior education major, agreed with Corey.
“The main reason I would like to see it stay on Tuesday and Thursday is because it’s a longer time period.”
She explained that the time difference between the Monday, Wednesday, Friday hour and the Tuesday, Thursday free period is the difference between having time to eat and being stuck on campus.
“When I do have meetings during the common time period on Tuesday and Thursday, which is when most of the clubs I am in meet, it is convenient because I still have about 45 minutes to an hour to go back to my townhouse to get lunch or go to the Hickey before my 1 o’clock class,” Austin explained.
Riley Eike, senior journalism and mass communication major and president of Campus Activities Board said the new common hour would force CAB members to sacrifice their lunches because the time period on Monday, Wednesday, Friday would be shorter.
“I hadn’t realized the time would be shorter on Monday, Wednesday, Friday, but now that I do I’m not so sure it’s a good idea,” Eike said.
Theresa Rabbia, freshman Spanish and history double major, similarly favors the current free period model.
“I don’t think I really like [the proposed period],” Rabbia said. “I have a pretty decent schedule and right now I have a nice break, and if I didn’t have that break, my afternoons would be way too packed.”
Some students, however, think the proposed free period change can offer more options for students.
Will Tighe, senior strategic communications major and president of Bonaventure’s American Advertising Federation chapter, said the new option can open up students’ schedules.
“I like it better Monday, Wednesday and Friday because it allows you to schedule around three days,” Tighe said. “People are often involved in more than one club, so conflicts usually happen when there’s only two days each week.”
Quinlan noted the Faculty Senate meeting is open to anyone interested in attending.
“All students are invited to observe the meeting, 3:30 p.m. this afternoon in [Reilly Center] 219,” Quinlan said. “The SGA will present a motion to keep the 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. open period.”
mcelfrdh14@bonaventure.edu
