Hurricanes push classes into reading days

In a memo sent out to all professors and faculty, Steven G. Ullmann, vice provost and dean of the graduate school, announced Friday that one of the reading days scheduled in December will be used to make up classes missed during hurricanes Katrina and Rita. The decision was made after academic deans, faculty senate and the vice president for student affairs met to discuss all available options.

So far, three and a half days of classes have been cancelled as a result of South Florida’s busy hurricane season, affecting mostly classes in the Monday, Wednesday and Friday schedule. Classes that missed a Tuesday and Friday will be absorbed into the normal teaching schedule, Ullmann noted, and the two lost Mondays will be made up on Monday, Dec. 5. Reading days are from Dec. 3 to Dec. 6.

The University Policy stating that exams cannot be given during reading days will also be extended to include the make-up day, so students need only worry about going to class. Final exams will proceed as normally scheduled.

“We hope that this will be the last of our hurricane related closings,” Ulmann said in the memo. “We will hold the remaining reading days in reserve, however, just in case.”

Natalia Maldonado can be contacted at n.maldonado@umiami.edu.