Students and faculty could get an extra week for winter break, but it may not be for two or three years.

At a straw poll taken at the Faculty Senate meeting Tuesday night, 46 senators voted that their constituents want a four-week break, while six voted for the current three weeks and 15 had no consensus among their constituents.

The change from four weeks of break to three weeks took place three years ago.

“Now it looks like the interest is very strong in having a four-week break,” said Dean Ulrichson, president of the Faculty Senate.

The issue will now go to a committee that will get input from the senators, who will convey the senators’ opinions to the University Calendar Committee.

The Calendar Committee will consider the opinions of the students, the Registrar’s office and other groups on campus, Ulrichson said. The Board of Regents would make the final decision.

The Board of Regents has already approved academic calendars with a three-week break through 2002. Because of this, the change to four weeks probably would not be put into effect until the 2003-2005 calendar, Ulrichson said.

However, the extended break could be added to the calendar earlier.

“It certainly can be changed after the regents approve it, but making a change like that would require a change in a lot of documents that have already come out, such as the university catalog, which is published through 2001, and that may not be a good idea,” he said.

Cynthia Jeffrey, associate professor of accounting, agreed with the Faculty Senate that four weeks would be better.

“The most productive time in my professional career is usually that last week before classes start,” she said. “Taking that week away has had a negative effect on my productivity.”

James Dinsmore, professor of animal ecology, said he has two reasons for wanting a four-week break.

“Three weeks is really a tight fit for faculty to get a break and get ready for the next semester,” he said.

Dinsmore also said the three-week break has had a negative impact on his outdoor classes. “We can’t do outdoor activities in January, but we can in May,” he said. “It basically hurt our ability to teach outdoor classes.”

Kathy Leonard, associate professor of Spanish, said she feels three weeks is just not enough time.

“As a professor, three weeks makes it really hard to get your classes planned for the spring,” she said.

She said the shortened break has also made it necessary for study abroad programs to be altered. “It’s not feasible financially to go abroad for such a short time,” she said.

However, David Williams, professor of education administration, said he believes a three-week break is better.

“It gets us out a bit earlier in the summer, and it allows students to get into the summer job market a little bit earlier,” he said. “It’s worked well for me.”