FALL READING WEEK
Do you support a Fall Reading Week pending potential adjustments in the Academic Calendar?
Given that the University of New Brunswick and the UNB Student Union prioritize the mental well-being and the health of its community, including Faculty members and Students, and given the nature of academic intensity at this institution, The University of New Brunswick Student Union believes that it is pertinent that UNB considers a mid-term break in the Fall semester for its students.
Whereas the UNBSU represents the voice of students, the Union is advocating for a sufficient mental health break in the fall semester. The UNBSU believes that a break such as the Fall Reading Week will offer students a resting period that will allow them the to stay mentally fit and catch up with studies. The UNBSU has also engaged in a stakeholder consultation process and many deans and university administrators have expressed interest and support for this initiative.
It is for the aforementioned reasons that the UNBSU has decided to prioritize advocating for a Fall Reading Break. The UNBSU strongly believes that a midterm break in the fall will be of benefit to the entire UNB community.
The Union also recognizes that this initiative will require accommodations to the existing academic calendar. The break will require a forfeiture of approximately five days in the fall semester.
Although UNB has already has a reading day as well as remembrance day, these two days are simply not enough.
The UNBSU believes that students at the University deserve a balance in their academics and mental health, therefore in the process of accommodating the academic calendar for a Fall Reading Break the number of teaching days must be maintained.
*This position statement is pending council approval