WHAT? NO FALL READING WEEK AT THE U OF O?

First of all, I will start by saying THANK GOD IT'S FRIDAY and HAPPY U OF O DAY to all! It's quite nice to have at least ONE day off since students at the U of O WON'T BE GETTING A FALL READING WEEK yet again!

That's right everybody! You've probably just recently found out that all your friends at other post-secondary institutions around Ontario will be getting a well deserved reading week in the coming days. But, WAIT! Not so fast! As a student at the University of Ottawa, forget about any such holiday because there's no such thing here. Frustrated...? Overworked...? Stressed to the MAX...? Don't worry, you're not the only one! You have every right to be pissed off at your university's administration!

Wait a minute!? Where could the SFUO fit into this conversation? Aren't the SFUO executive members supposed to represent the student population as a whole? Wouldn't you think that they should be lobbying U of O's administration in order to get a fall reading week for the student's it represents? Apparently, in past years, the SFUO DID talk about this very issue!

The other day, being the political junky that I am, I was browsing through the SFUO's constitution (the 2008-2009 version since that's the most updated version available on the SFUO's website; but it's not in plain view though, you have to know about this link if you ever want to find it! Oddly enough, there's no actual link on the SFUO's website) and found this very interesting section within the Policy Manuel:

35 – Fall reading week (Voted on November 12, 2006)
The SFUO is committed to the establishment of a fall reading week for the 2008-2009 academic year.

Well now, isn't that interesting? So, this was voted on before I personally arrived at the U of O and supposedly this "fall reading week" was supposed to happen last year. I think it would be fair to ask the question: WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED?

It's safe to say that this particular "commitment" within the SFUO constitution didn't exactly lead to any progress. I've felt the same way for 3 years now: It frustrates me that with all the midterm exams, the assignments, the papers, etc., etc., etc., that students at the University of Ottawa do not have the same opportunity as students attending other post-secondary institutions within the province to enjoy (or to catch up on school work) a fall reading week.

I hope this blog sparks some sort of healthy debate as to getting these important questions answered.

1) Why doesn't the University of Ottawa have a fall reading week?
2) If students are pissed off, then why don't they speak up and question the status quo?
3) What was accomplished between November 2006 and the 2008-2009 academic year by the SFUO in order to advance this particular cause?
4) Why was the SFUO unsuccessful in getting a fall reading week for the 2008-2009 academic year?
5) Has this been talked about during recent SFUO meetings...? Board of Administration meetings...? Senate meetings...? Board of Governors meetings...?
6) Why can't the University of Ottawa have a fall reading week for the 2010-2011 academic year?

If you actually care about this cause, maybe a simple email to the following could get the ball rolling: Allan Rock...? Your Student Associations...? The SFUO...? Your student senators...? The representatives on the Board of Administration...?

Think about it...