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PROVO — After years of students wishing, Brigham Young University is finally getting a spring holiday.
The university's winter semester is notoriously difficult due to the fact that it only includes two vacation days — Martin Luther King Jr. Day in January and President's Day in February — during its four-month duration. However, starting in 2017 students will be given one more day off in March, the university announced Wednesday.
It's true. @BYU is giving students a Spring Holiday starting in 2017. Not to be confused with Spring Break. Break= 1 week Holiday= 24 hours
— Natalie Tripp (@Nmtrippy) January 13, 2016
"The new spring holiday was proposed by the Faculty Advisory Committee because they recognized that a day off in the long stretch between President's Day and the end of winter semester would benefit the students," Academic Vice President Brent W. Webb said in a statement. "I welcomed this proposal."
While officials said they couldn't add the holiday to the 2016 academic calendar since the winter semester has already started, many students and alumni took to social media to share their enthusiasm about the change. The 2017 holiday will be on March 17.
#BYU GETS SPRING BREAK NEXT YEAR. Best news I've ever heard. Tears of joy. Oh, wait, it's only one day long? Well, still... Worth it.
— Jordan (@piano_jordan) January 13, 2016The addition of the holiday will not affect BYU's accreditation, according to the university. Most other universities in the state, like the University of Utah and Utah State University, have a weeklong spring break in March.
Let us know what you think about the new spring holiday at BYU by voting in our poll and participating in the comment section.
