An earlier start to the school year, longer exam and reading periods and more breaks may be in store for students during the fall semester in future years.
The UA unanimously passed a proposal Monday urging the University to make changes to the current schedule for future fall semesters.
Potential changes could involve beginning classes before Labor Day and adding an extra day to the reading and exam periods.
"Essentially what we want is to create a parity between the spring and fall semesters," Engineering senior Sean Lambert said, adding that the spring semester is typically one week longer than the fall semester and includes one more reading day and exam day.
The UA further recommended that the Council of Undergraduate Deans investigate the possibility of University closure on the Wednesday or week before Thanksgiving, as well as on Election Day and on the days leading up to winter break.
University officials could not be reached for comment on the proposal.
Currently, four of 12 peer institutions have no class the Wednesday before Thanksgiving, and Yale has canceled class the entire week preceding Thanksgiving.
Among those 12, the average number of reading days is 4.7 and the average number of exam days is 6.6.
Penn has four days allotted for the reading period and six days for the exam period.
In addition, six of 10 peer institutions whose final exams end before winter break begin classes before Labor Day.
According to Lambert, there is no particular reason why the University begins classes after Labor Day.
"It's kind of just what they've done every year," Lambert said.
Wharton and Engineering sophomore Karl Fils-Aime voiced support for an earlier start date.
"It's a waste of a lot of time," Fils-Aime said.
Fils-Aime added that since many peers at other universities are already in school, most Penn students have little to do the week before classes, and many move in early anyway.
Lambert drafted a new calendar in which classes would begin the Wednesday before Labor Day, creating five extra days in the semester which could be used for reading days, exam days or holidays.
However, the calendar is simply a suggested model, Lambert said, and may not reflect actual changes.
It is currently unknown when any potential schedule changes would be implemented, but according to Lambert, the University can not change dates that it has already published. Currently, the University has posted the academic calendar through spring 2007 on its Web site.
"I think that the unanimous support exemplifies the need for a change to the fall semester," Lambert said. "I would hope that [the UA's] support would drive this to implementation as soon as possible."
The UA also passed a proposal recommending changes to Penn InTouch that would make course registration easier. Proposed changes include the ability to search for courses by time, requirement or keyword and the ability to view class sizes.
The UA also decided to give $500 of its contingency budget to a Penn group traveling to Sri Lanka this summer to aid with tsunami relief and promised to match any other funds raised up to an additional $500.
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