On January 14th, the University of California Registars approved a change for the Fall 2014 quarter to accommodate students who are involved with the Jewish High Holy Days of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. This year Rosh Hashanah took place between Sept .18 and Sept. 20 and to accommodate students who are involved in the holiday move-in weekend was pushed back one week from Sept .26 to Sept. 27, resulting in the Fall 2020 Quarter to begin on Oct. 1 instead of September.

However, due to the pandemic, the majority of UC students are at home and are involved with remote learning and were not able to participate in the move-in weekend. Since remote learning, many students have faced significant challenges. Some students have had to get a job to take care of living expenses, take care of younger siblings, or tend to family members who test/tested positive for COVID-19. Some students have even tested positive for COVID-19 themselves or have lost loved ones to COVID. Many students have dealt with these hardships while balancing their academic responsibilities and maintaining good grades. For many students and staff, the holidays will be very different and burdensome because of the pandemic and a 2-week winter break will only make it harder.

For many, this pandemic has been filled with emotional, physical, and mental hardship and UC students and staff deserve a 3-week winter break to properly rest and prepare for the following two remote quarters and the unforeseeable climate of COVID-19.