HWUMC

Not that it really bothers me at all, but I'm just curious about the new shape of the next academic year. Apparently you're going to get 2 14 week semesters (instead of 3 10 week terms), starting on 16/9 to 19/12 (14 weeks - that makes sense), then 3 weeks Xmas holiday, and then the second semester starts 21/1 and finishes on 22/5 (19 weeks - huh?!?). So when in this second block do you get the 5 weeks off, to bring it down to the advertised 14 weeks?

Also, does semesterisation do away with our lovely long weekend in May then? FYI where I work tends to follow Edinburgh Uni for holidays (and by fortunate accident HWU too), so we get a long weekend on Victoria Day, which next year, is on 18/5. It would seem pretty pointless having a 3 day week for final week of the academic year!

I guess next years committee will have this all covered then

So far as I'm aware there is still a nice big Easter holiday, and we get our midterms either before we go or after we come back

I think Stewart had mentioned last week that there wouldn't be a long weekend (the four day Skye weekend) next year...

If semester 1 finishes 19/12 and semester 2 starts on 21/1, then I make that a month's holiday for xmas. You lucky people

Sorry a bit of typing dyslexia there - I think I meant 12/1 for the start of Semester 2.

I was talking to a lecturer today, and I think "teething problems" will probably be the best way to describe next year - glad I'm out of it.

Not progress IMO if the long weekend is no more Oh well, we have the fond memories ......

Well then we'll just have to have it as an end of yea trip then won't we!

or an easter trip! To Wales Maybe?

Saz_m wrote:or an easter trip! To Wales Maybe?

Super!

Do you have a garden down there big enough for the "Tent of Love" then?

I think the way it'll be next year is 12 weeks of lectures, followed immediately by 2 weeks of exams (no revision week). We get three weeks off over Christmas, then we're back for another 12 weeks of lectures. Another three weeks over Easter, then the end of year exams are held over four weeks. For us lower years, they're expecting ours to be nearer to the end of that four weeks, but we'll probably be over anyway revising for the synoptic exams to come.
And as you've said, "teething problems" will probably mean all that goes to pot in the real world. If only they'd stick with what actually works...

Plastic Puller wrote:http://www.hw.ac.uk/welcome/dates.htm

Aye, I saw that, but it doesn't tell you when Easter is, does it?

Sorry, I'd spilt water on my keyboard at the time so could only cut and paste.

We were told in a RAY (Restructuring the Academic Year) meeting earlier in the year that the second semester exam period would be over 4 weeks after a 3 week Easter break. I'm assuming that's still the plan as it fits with a 12 week teaching block for the dates given.

As for the May day bank holidays or the long weekend, can't help, sorry.

Good luck with that then - I spoke to a Maths lecturer last night, and he said he ahdn't even thought about next year yet!! Oh well!!!

mwicks1968 wrote:I spoke to a Maths lecturer last night, and he said he ahdn't even thought about next year yet!!

Good on him! Live in the moment and all that...

I think that if there is no long weekend in May, then I am proposing a long trip at the end of the 2nd semster, that way it is early enough for those with exams in the 4 weeks to have time to go on a trip. Also, I think there is a slot for a long trip at the end of the year (22nd May) which may be too early for a trip to the alpes...but just about right for a long weekend?

I think the 4 day trip is a HWUMC tradition that needs to be kept alive!

BUZZ wrote:.... I think the 4 day trip is a HWUMC tradition that needs to be kept alive!

And, not forgetting of course, the tradition of going camping in Langdale, Lake District for the 2 weekend in Term 1.

Maybe the arrival of semesters will require new traditions to be acquired? Something for the new committee, and not me, I think.