Spring Break
Classes in session during DU-Penn match
Mike Mazzeo
Issue date: 10/3/08 Section: News
Although the men's basketball team will kick off its season by hosting Penn for the first time in program history at the Daskalakis Athletic Center Nov. 18 at 10 a.m. on ESPN, many students may not be in attendance or in their apartments watching it on television.
In a University-wide e-mail, Interim Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs Mark Greenberg stated that while he "encourages everyone who is able to attend the game … classes will be held as usual."
The decision came down in-spite of a request by athletic director Eric Zillmer, who asked if morning classes could be canceled, only to have his request declined.
Questioned further about the decision, Greenberg said, "I felt it was important to leave it up to the discretion of the faculty members and staff.
"If a faculty member feels that it is critically important in a 10-week term for students not to miss a class during the week, I don't want to second-guess them. They know best."
However, he didn't rule out the possibility that many classes will still be canceled.
"I think some faculty will cancel classes, and that's all fine," Greenberg said. "But I think it's best to leave it up to experts who know it best.
"I'm just trying to be respectful of the educators that our students are really coming to Drexel to learn from. And by doing so I'm acting in the best interests of the University and the students."
Nevertheless, while there will be a lot of students that do wish to miss class, Greenberg realizes others don't share in their anticipation for the game.
"I think it's safe to say that there are students who don't care about this basketball game at all," he said.
"For me to say 'academics is great, but we have a basketball game to watch,' a lot of people would be offended."
Asked whether or not an event of this magnitude could be treated similarly to that of the annual Convocation, in which classes are cancelled for the duration of the event, Greenberg said, "Classes are only cancelled for major holidays" and professors have always been given ample notice of Convocation.
"They've [professors] always built Convocation into their schedule. They've known about it for almost a year."
He also alluded to the fact that classes were not even cancelled due to the Democratic Debate, which took place at Drexel Oct. 30, 2007.
But despite the fact that classes will still be held, Greenberg did make one thing clear.
"I guarantee you there won't be an empty seat in the house. I'll be at the game. I'm a big supporter," Greenberg said.
In a University-wide e-mail, Interim Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs Mark Greenberg stated that while he "encourages everyone who is able to attend the game … classes will be held as usual."
The decision came down in-spite of a request by athletic director Eric Zillmer, who asked if morning classes could be canceled, only to have his request declined.
Questioned further about the decision, Greenberg said, "I felt it was important to leave it up to the discretion of the faculty members and staff.
"If a faculty member feels that it is critically important in a 10-week term for students not to miss a class during the week, I don't want to second-guess them. They know best."
However, he didn't rule out the possibility that many classes will still be canceled.
"I think some faculty will cancel classes, and that's all fine," Greenberg said. "But I think it's best to leave it up to experts who know it best.
"I'm just trying to be respectful of the educators that our students are really coming to Drexel to learn from. And by doing so I'm acting in the best interests of the University and the students."
Nevertheless, while there will be a lot of students that do wish to miss class, Greenberg realizes others don't share in their anticipation for the game.
"I think it's safe to say that there are students who don't care about this basketball game at all," he said.
"For me to say 'academics is great, but we have a basketball game to watch,' a lot of people would be offended."
Asked whether or not an event of this magnitude could be treated similarly to that of the annual Convocation, in which classes are cancelled for the duration of the event, Greenberg said, "Classes are only cancelled for major holidays" and professors have always been given ample notice of Convocation.
"They've [professors] always built Convocation into their schedule. They've known about it for almost a year."
He also alluded to the fact that classes were not even cancelled due to the Democratic Debate, which took place at Drexel Oct. 30, 2007.
But despite the fact that classes will still be held, Greenberg did make one thing clear.
"I guarantee you there won't be an empty seat in the house. I'll be at the game. I'm a big supporter," Greenberg said.
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