Unlike most other colleges in California, Mt. SAC does not have a traditional week-long spring break because of its shortened semesters. Mt. SAC aims to promote student success with a faster completion of their academic requirements.
Unlike the quarter system, which operates on four 10-week terms, Mt. SAC utilizes a compressed semester system. This calendar allows for six-week winter and summer sessions, along with 16-week fall and spring semesters.
While some students believe this is beneficial to their academic studies, other students and faculty are still of the opinion that a spring break is needed to help with their concerns of potential academic burnouts, heavy workloads and other stresses that could be happening outside of their academics.
Counseling professor Lyssette Trejo, believes we should have a spring break so students can have the opportunity to check out for the week and have a mental break.
“When they start in the spring, they don’t have much time to rejuvenate, spend time with their friends and their family. I’ve seen it been a challenge for a lot of students. I also think that self-care is really important,” Trejo said.
Trejo continued to express why spring break is important because of the rise of mental health challenges and how it has increased tremendously in all student populations. She additionally explained why a spring break could be beneficial for faculty.
“I know a lot of faculty and professors have children and families. Their kids are on spring break, so I think us having a spring break would also allow additional staff, professors and faculty to be able to spend that time with their children and their family, without having to cancel class or being a burden on the workload. So I think we are in need of a spring break,” Trejo said.
Trejo said that for the most part Mt. SAC has done a great job of trying to meet the needs of students they serve in order for them to be successful in their classes, by helping them to transfer and graduate on time.
Ed Luna, a 19-year-old radiologic technology major, gave his reason as to why some students and faculty would prefer a spring break.
“People have a family who has spring break and they want to go with them on their vacation. So that’s probably the reason why they want it,” Luna said.
Based on Mt. SAC’s Academic Year Definition, the goal of the compressed academic calendar is to promote student success by enabling students to accelerate on their studies. While courses become more intensive because of shorter semesters, it leads to quicker progression. Although some students ask for a spring break, others are capitalizing on the compressed calendar.
When asked if Mt. SAC should have a spring break, Christian Arellanes, 19-year-old computer engineering major, said we shouldn’t, considering how winter break is already almost two months long.
“I think we should also have a shorter semester, especially since considering our winter break is almost two months long. Compared to other schools, I enjoy having a much condensed semester,” Arellanes said.
While the compressed semesters without spring break offer benefits related to completion, the lack of a substantial break mid semester poses challenges that are just as deserving of conversation.
