Wasn’t last Monday, Presidents’ Day, a national holiday? Doesn’t that mean everyone gets the day off? If that’s the case, why did students and faculty of San Diego State University have to come on campus to work, teach and learn as though it was any other day?

“It’s probably some administrative decision,” said Ryan Hass, an international business sophomore.

“I think it’s because we have a longer summer and winter (break) than other schools,” Amy Glaiberman, a marketing sophomore, said.

OK, so what is the real reason classes were in session last Monday?

“The holiday is rescheduled to give everyone the day after Thanksgiving off,” Jerry Ledin of personnel services said.

Presidents’ Day, Lincoln’s birthday, Veterans Day and Columbus Day are all holidays that can be moved around on the academic calendar, Ledin said.

Dr. Carol Scott, dean of the division of undergraduate studies, creates the first version of the academic calendar about two years before the actual year. She and the Academic Policy and Planning Committee created the 1998-99 calendar last fall.

The CSU system is required to teach 147 days in the academic year, according to Scott. SDSU is already at the minimum number of days allowed to teach.

Scott said the only way to give holidays in the semester is to add an extra week of classes to the end of the semester.

Many aspects are taken into consideration before creating the calendar, Scott said. She said the three-week winter session is essential to many students, as is finishing the fall semester before Christmas.

Scott said she has tried many different schedules to make the majority of people happy. One year, she tried to start school on a Thursday.

“I almost got lynched for that one,” she said.