Each fall, Villanova University hosts the largest student-run Special Olympics event in the world.
The Special Olympics Pennsylvania event, referred to as Fall Fest, falls during the first full weekend of November each year, drawing in thousands of athletes and volunteers.
However, the first day of events, including the Torch Run and the first rounds of competition, happen on Friday afternoon, when many students have class.
Students who play large roles in operating and facilitating the event then face a dilemma each year
Do they skip their Friday classes to devote more time to Fall Fest or attend class anyway? To solve this issue, Villanova should cancel classes.
This dilemma does not just apply to a small population of the student body, but rather many members, from first-years all the way to seniors, as there are so many ways to get involved in Fall Fest.
Local Program Hosts (LPHs) are composed entirely of first-year undergraduate Villanova students.
LPHs are spread out amongst each county participating in the event, with two to three students in each group.
As a result, they are able to create deep connections with their athletes.
First-years face a unique nuance in this dilemma, as many of their classes have stricter attendance policies. So, while they want to be there to support their athletes on the first day of competition, many may feel pressure to attend class.
The Inclusion Crew (IC) is composed of students across all class years and is defined by “cubes.”
Cubes refer to the specific sport or event of Fall Fest that the volunteers will specialize in.
ICs are not required to be on site for as much time as LPHs, which could shape Villanova students’ decisions on whether to skip Friday classes.
Volunteer Coordinators (VCs) and committee members have to be there for the entirety of the weekend, including waking up before sunrise to get last-minute preparations done.
So, they face an especially difficult choice when choosing to skip class or not.
“I think you could argue either side of this debate easily,” Jane Butler, Fall Fest Festival Director, said. “For the majority of students, going to class on the Friday of Fall Fest isn’t a huge issue. However, I plan to use a personal day to miss my one Friday class this year. I know most committee members plan to do the same thing, but they could also choose to go to class if they’d like. I could see how it would be useful to more involved students to not have to worry about missing class, but most professors are usually very understanding.”
As a returning member of the Inclusion Crew, I agree with this insight.
Although I’ll attend class on Nov. 7, those with more involvement in Fall Fest, such as Butler, may not have that convenience due to the amount of responsibilities associated with these roles.
Looking ahead, the first day of Fall Fest will always fall on a Friday, so this debate will continue to linger on as students volunteer for Special Olympics each year.
To alleviate the stress of students having to decide or catch-up on missed work later, Villanova should cancel classes on the Friday of Fall Fest.
