Winter is the perfect season for many splendid activities — skiing in the Rockies, shopping the after-Christmas clearance sales and snuggling up by the fire with a book you actually want to read of your own accord.

It’s also a time used by faculty for research and conferences, not to mention preparation for spring classes.

During the last three years, winter break has been three weeks long. While some people may find the three weeks sufficient, and may even become bored with being cooped up at home with their families, others are wishing Iowa State could get back that fourth week of break — like the university had a few years ago.

At the Faculty Senate meeting Tuesday night, 46 senators voted in favor of a four-week break, with only six voting to stay at three weeks and 15 with no opinion.

The faculty members who proposed the idea of an extended break and brought it to a vote at the senate meeting should be commended for taking the initiative to change an existing university policy they don’t like.

However, faculty shouldn’t be the only campus demographic to give input on this matter.

Students are the predominant population at Iowa State, and the longer break would affect them as much as it would the faculty.

A longer winter break means a shorter summer break, which could be a problem for students acquiring jobs or internships.

Some students may care about this, and some may not. But students need to be asked how they feel about the proposed calendar change.

If the governing body of the faculty is going to take a stance on this issue and campaign for change, the Government of the Student Body should make an effort to form a student opinion.

If students do favor the extended break, and faculty continue to support it, the Board of Regents should approve a change as soon as possible.

A change in the academic calendar may seem like a small thing. But this is exactly the type of thing that needs to happen more often at Iowa State.

The proposed calendar switch is a great example of people uniting for a cause they support. It’s a great example of faculty using their voices for change.

Let’s not let this plan die in committee or be shoved from the table by someone who doesn’t want to deal with it.

Let’s make sure students voice their opinions, and see where the calendar goes from there.

Iowa State Daily Editorial Board: Sara Ziegler, Greg Jerrett, Kate Kompas, Carrie Tett and David Roepke.