Although Monday was declared a university holiday, several Boston University professors attempted to hold classes regardless, citing both the nature of what the day was marking and a need to stay on schedule with their syllabi. Although professors should respect the decision, however misguided, to keep Nov. 17 a holiday and not require their students to attend classes, they were being perfectly reasonable in their attempts.

Had the inauguration of ex-President-elect Daniel S. Goldin taken place, Nov. 17 would have been cause for celebration, and although schedules and syllabi would still be held up, professors should have respected the day off and joined with the BU community in marking the momentous day. But no president was inaugurated, and no major events, save a few loose community service gatherings and charity drives, marked the day. Professors who decided to try to hold classes were reasonable to question why their schedules were being needlessly interrupted, especially since BU canceled events, according to spokesman Colin Riley, to save the money that would have been spent on them. Also, president ad interim Aram V. Chobanian’s letter detailing what would be done with Nov. 17 in lieu of a Goldin inauguration was vague, and made no mention of students or professors being told not to attend or teach classes. The wording of the letter states a university-wide holiday, but also implies that students or professors wishing to catch up on work or continue their schedules if they so chose would be able to do so.

It is hard for professors, especially those who teach three-hour blocks that only meet on Monday, to lose another day of instruction so close to both Thanksgiving break and finals, which are less than a month away. Although it would be unfair of them to require students to come to class, it is not only reasonable, but also productive of them, to give the option, and assess through responses from the students in the class how many would attend and how effective holding class on Nov. 17 would be. The blanket idea that it is ‘unfair’ for professors to even think of holding classes on a day declared a university holiday is failing to take into account lesson plans and the proximity of the date to the end of the semester.

And irrelevant to whether professors should or should not have classes, why is it at all reasonable for Boston University to lock up valuable facilities, like small campus libraries and class buildings, for the day? Although many students certainly used Monday for hangover recovery and a little extra sleep, there were also many students jumping at the chance to catch up on work but were denied the ability to do so because they could not get into computer labs and other campus facilities.

That several professors attempted to hold classes Monday confirms the rift between the faculty and BU’s administration. It is yet another affirmation that Nov. 17 ‘Goldin Day,’ ‘Not Goldin Day,’ ‘BU Community Day’ or whatever students have chosen to call it was a largely useless and half-baked venture.