In a unanimous decision, the UF Faculty Senate approved a motion to delay the Homecoming holiday from Oct. 2 to Dec. 24.
The motion, proposed by Associate Provost for Academic Affairs Angela Lindner, notes the cancellation of the annual Homecoming parade; leadership group Florida Blue Key plans to host virtual events throughout October due to the coronavirus pandemic; and Alachua County schools’ decision to make Oct. 2 an instructional day.
The move will allow UF to regain one of the five instructional days lost due to the delay of the Fall semester.
Those attending the meeting were confused, with faculty members frustrated due to the sudden announcement so close to the start of the semester.
Mary Eaverly, classics department chair, said during the meeting that this change affects professors' syllabi, which were created with the previous academic schedule in mind.
“This is a real change in faculty—a real inconvenience, and not just an inconvenience but this really alters the instructional plan for many classes at the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences,” she said.
“We are working on this very rapidly and I recognize that there were many, many conversations and decisions that had to be made leading up to this,” Lindner said in response, noting conversions with UF Student Government and the University Athletic Association. “So all of this wraps in together around homecoming.”
During the meeting, Lindner also said that deans were given a heads-up earlier this week, with a reminder to be sent out with the motion passing.
To read the full memo, click here.
UF's annual homecoming was delayed until late December. It was originally scheduled in early October.
