Fall break activism never picked up after first year

"I have no idea what the point of fall break is except a break from studying," said Karen Karniol-Tambour '06. "I'm off to London to have fun!"

There is no reason for Karniol-Tambour to feel badly about having fun. She is certainly not the only student on campus with little to no knowledge of what fall recess is all about.

Fall break's history

April 30, 1970: Nixon addressed the nation, announcing U.S. intervention in Cambodia. Within hours, the University community responded by striking, suspending regular academic and social activities on campus.

"The speech led people to assemble in the Chapel in a matter of hours," said Paul Sigmund, a professor in the politics department. "The idea of a break in the fall calendar was an attempt to channel this energy of movement within the system."

In a unanimous decision on May 4, the calendar was changed. More than 3,700 University members voted.

During the 1970-71 academic year, undergraduate students were given a two-week recess immediately before the November congressional elections. Some 42 institutions with over a quarter million students nationwide adopted an identical academic calendar, dubbing it the "Princeton Plan."

"The reorganization in schedule . . . is a valid and constructive way of permitting students and faculty to exercise their rights and privileges as citizens," said then-President Robert Goheen '40 in his 1970 President's Report.

The change in the academic schedule did not go unchallenged. Sen. Strom Thurmond brought the issue to the house floor, arguing that the University was violating its nonprofit status, and The New York Times questioned whether the University was remaining nonpolitical.

Support nonprofit student journalism. Donate to the ‘Prince’. Donate now »

"An interest in public affairs and a furthering of a sense of social responsibility have long been considered important elements of a liberal education," Goheen countered. "Activities on the part of individuals or groups do not, and should not be taken to imply commitment of the University to any partisan political position or point of view."

"Students were on all sides of the issue of war," said Stanley Kelley, a retired politics professor and member of the University Council. "Students were able to go out and campaign for their candidate of preference."

A University survey after the first fall break found that only 24 percent of students actually campaigned or politicked during the break.

The most popular activity during the two-week recess was not political but academic. For most students, the break was a welcome chance to catch up on work and prepare for midterm exams — much like today.

Get the best of the ‘Prince’ delivered straight to your inbox. Subscribe now »

"When the next election year came around, an interesting thing happened," Kelley said. "The issue of campaigning for candidates had affected students and gone. Students and faculty found they like the break more for educational reasons."

In fact, eight out of 10 students wanted to have some form of fall break in future years.

University faculty felt differently. In January 1972, the Council voted 97 to 36 to drop the pre-election recess. Other schools that adopted the Princeton Plan moved in the same direction.

The Undergraduate Assembly responded in March of that year by petitioning for the return of fall break, saying the following year would be both an election year and the first time students would have the right to vote.

"In 1971, the 18th Amendment to the Constitution gave 18-year-olds the right to vote," English professor John Fleming GS '63 said. "This changed the landscape of politics, so there was really nothing left to keep people from being involved."

In March 1972, the faculty reconsidered its stance on the election recess. By a vote of 89 to 87, the election recess was retained. Students would make up for the 10-day break by starting the year earlier in September and having shorter vacations.

Fall break today

Criticism of fall recess has not gone away. With a shift in the political climate of the University campus, questions arise from time to time concerning the use of a fall break.

"If you want to say this campus has gone from political to apolitical, the shift happened pretty quickly," Sigmund said. "There has not been evidence of as much student involvement in politics over fall break since 1970."

Even with primaries approaching and a pending presidential election, few students know the historical relevance of fall break and are continuing with the tradition this year.

Evan Baehr '05 is spending his fall break involved in Princeton Borough politics. Last fall recess, Baehr campaigned for Doug Forrester, and in 2001, he campaigned for Brett Schundler.

Cate Edwards '04 has a more personal connection to politics because her father, Sen. John Edwards, D-N.C., is one of the top candidates seeking the Democratic nomination for President.

"I am campaigning as a surrogate for my father at universities across New Hampshire," she said in an email.

"I am going to be out on the trail meeting and talking to people — mostly events involving young people."

Talk of restructuring the academic calendar has not come up in the University administration since former President Harold Shapiro GS '64's time at the helm. When he took office, decisions about fall break were primarily personal, he said yesterday in an interview.

"Professors have fall recess built into their psychic calendars," Fleming said. "To take it away now would be cruel."

Kelley echoed this sentiment, noting that fall recess gives professors a chance to redirect the course material if necessary, and students a chance to catch up on course material.

"Now, fall recess is much more valuable educationally," he said.