News Briefs: Jan. 24

Fall reading week to be considered for 2014

Dalhousie students will have a week away from classes next November if a motion passed by the Dalhousie Student Union (DSU) is also passed by the Senate.

DSU councillors voted Jan. 15 in favour of asking Dalhousie to implement a fall reading week for 2014.

Dal introduced a study day in 2010, falling next to Remembrance Day to offer students a two-day break. Making the rest of this week a holiday would create a second reading week.

By introducing a week-long break in either October or November, Dalhousie would be following suit with other major Canadian universities.

Acadia, Ryerson and other schools have introduced reading weeks within recent years.

While the vote was not unanimous, with some councillors abstaining or rejecting the motion, there is some executive support.

Ramz Aziz, DSU VP (internal), replied to a student’s suggestion for a fall reading week last month on the DSU’s Soapbox website.

“The University passed on the Fall Reading Week for this year, but that doesn’t mean the conversation has ended!” said Aziz. “I believe it is important that next year’s DSU exec make it a priority!”

Dalhousie Senate will have final say in the implementation of the break at a currently unknown date.

A cool place to break the ice

There are still opportunities this semester for you to meet new friends, discover causes that inspire you and get some inflatable basketball in between classes.

Dalhousie’s first Winter Society Carnival will be taking place in the McInnes Room in the Student Union Building (SUB), from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Jan. 27. The DSU says the carnival will be “bigger than ever before.”

More than 70 clubs and societies participated in the fall society carnival. Interactive exhibits and carnival games marked the event where Dalhousie and King’s students were invited to find out new ways to involve themselves in the campus community.

The upcoming carnival will have over four times the budget of the fall’s, at approximately $6,500. One new feature will be on-stage demonstrations, where societies will get their message across through performances.