The academic calendar at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago is about to undergo some changes — and for many students, it’s about time. Beginning in the fall, SAIC students have an updated calendar, and for the first time, it includes weeklong mid-semester breaks.
On Jan. 27, in an email titled “Adjustments to SAIC’s Academic Calendar,” Provost Martin Berger shared the anticipated changes to the academic calendar with the SAIC community.
Fall, winter, and spring terms will all start on Mondays; summer term will start on a Tuesday because of Memorial Day.
Thanksgiving and Spring Breaks will both be extended to a full week each, with no classes in session. Previously, SAIC students got Wednesday through Sunday off for Thanksgiving, and Thursday through Sunday for spring. These changes will go into effect for the Thanksgiving Break 2025 and the Spring Break 2026.
“It was a really unhealthy expectation for students to power through an entire semester without a real moment of rest. I think the old schedule enabled burnout and most pressors just ignored it completely and went about assigning work like it was a regular week because it essentially was,” said an SAIC student, Anabelle Lombard (BFA 2026).
According to Amelia Noel-Elkins, associate provost at SAIC, it was important to first consider the reasons why many other colleges have breaks in the fall and spring semesters that typically extend to a full week.
“[The breaks] are designed to help students decompress and recharge so they can do their best work throughout the academic year,” said Noel-Elkins. It became imperative to explore the possibility of providing these accommodations to the SAIC community.
Berger’s email said the reason for having the semesters start on a Monday was to ensure consistency across terms and to ensure that all classes have the opportunity to meet at least once in the first week of the semester.
There is due process followed in the implementation of changes such as these. When it comes to changes, particularly pertaining to the academic calendar, the academic calendar committee is required to consider and review the first draft of changes being proposed. For significant changes like these at an institutional scale, the discussions typically extend beyond the academic calendar committee to include all stakeholders that will likely be impacted. Stakeholders include graduate students, Student Government, the Faculty Senate and Curriculum Committee, Office of Student Affairs, Contemporary Practices, Exhibitions, Library and Special Collections, Computer Resources and Information Technologies, Continuing Studies, and the Gene Siskel Film Center.
“There was overwhelming support for the changes from all of these groups,” said Noel-Elkins.
Most of the student community appears to have welcomed these changes.
“Longer breaks are important for the mental health of both students and faculty,” said Ruby Min Bassford (MFA 2026).
Another student, Mio Sow (BFAW 2027) had difficulty with the day the semesters started and ended and was grateful for the change. “I’ve literally always thought it was so stupid that we would start on Wednesday or Thursday. It’s just been jarring and annoying because then the semester will end in the middle of the week,” he said.
Sow also took issue with the break length. “Like what do you mean we get two days off of the week? That doesn’t give us any time to actually go home if you live farther away,” Sow said.
Faculty also appears to be on board with these changes. Referring to a conversation they had with their professor about these adjustments to the schedule, Morgan A’Lyse Beamon (MFA 2026) said that the professor seemed rather relieved. “When school would start mid-to-late week in the fall semester, and he would teach Monday classes, sometimes he wouldn’t meet the students for the first time until Week three due to Labor Day! The new schedule makes sure no time is lost like this,” Beamon said.
However, adjunct professor Matthew Goulish had a dissenting opinion.
“I like momentum. It’s difficult enough to have critique week and then come back for one final class. It’s always hard to start up again after a prolonged stop. Another week off will disrupt the semester even more,” Goulish said.
