University President Stephen Hulbert sent a letter to Damian Breaux, president of the Student Government Association, in which he wrote that he has decided not to support a resolution from the Senate to creates a school holiday for national elections. Breaux said the SGA was optimistic that the University would act upon the resolution. “President Hulbert is open to new ideas from students,” Breaux said.

Hulbert consulted central administration before making a decision. “Everyone involved in that discussion felt that a day of no classes would only add one more interruption to the academic calendar and lead to a long weekend rather than the suggested goal,” Hulbert wrote.

“The resolution was a response to complaints,” Breaux said. “Students were upset about not having the day off.” Out-of-town students did not want to deal with reregistering in Thibodaux to vote on time. “They would need the day off from school to go home and vote,” Breaux said.

There are other reasons why students would like the Election Day to become a school holiday. Some students find it hard to vote between class and work. “A lot of students cannot vote, because they are at school all day and then have to go to work,” Katy Geesling, freshman from Houma, said.

Other students make the time to vote. “If someone wants to vote, they will make time for it,” Brittany Gayon, freshman from Houma, said.

Hulbert agrees with Gayon. “With absentee balloting, the ability to register locally and the length of time the voting stations are open there is more than enough opportunity to vote,” Hulbert wrote.

Breaux has not spoken to Hulbert about this decision but will discuss the resolution with him at a later date.

In November 2004, the Senate adopted the resolution recommending that the University Academic Calendar Committee “schedule student holidays on all national election days.”

In the resolution, the Senate used voter turnout and the inconvenience to non-commuting students caused by voting outside of their hometown as reasons for the proposed school holiday. The Senate also listed University strategic goal three, which is to “promote responsible citizenship and leadership within an increasingly diverse population.”

If the SGA wanted to pursue the matter further, the Senate could adopt another resolution or bring the matter before the Board of Supervisors of the University of Louisiana System. Breaux does not believe these actions will be taken, because the members of the Senate have changed since the resolution was adopted.