Although Thanksgiving break begins at noon Wednesday, several teachers have canceled classes Tuesday afternoon and Wednesday morning classes without reporting these cancellations to department chairmen.

Under normal circumstances, instructors must report all requests to cancel classes or requests for substitute teachers to their department chairmen. Each department has its own policies on teachers canceling classes.

Music department Assistant Chairman Allan O’Connor said, “All teachers are expected to hold classes, and they can’t cancel them just because it’s the Wednesday before Thanksgiving.”

e said no teacher in the music department had requested to cancel a class Tuesday or Wednesday.

Political science department Chairman Clark Neher said under no circumstances are classes to be canceled on Tuesday or Wednesday before noon.

Computer science department Chairman Rodney Angotti said, “Our classes will meet until 12 p.m. on Wednesday. We do not cancel classes.”

Classes in the department are canceled only if there is an emergency and a substitute from the faculty is not available, Angotti said.

Economics department Chairman Prem Laumas said economics department teachers can cancel classes only if they are sick or have to attend a meeting.

Math sciences Chairman John Selfridge said a lot of teachers will hold extra help seesions during Wednesday classes since classes will not be full anyway.

“It’s no big disgrace if teahcers don’t hold classes on Wednesday,” he said. He said it is not balanced between the moring and afternoon classes since the afternoon classes are canceled.

Marilyn Skinner, foreign language and literature chairman, said canceling classes is done on an individual basis. She said the general principle of academic freedom allows an instructor to run a class as he sees fit.

She said if an instructor needs to go out of town for a conference or other work-related event, he must fill out a permission slip for the absence.

Wayne Albrecht, college of business assistant dean, said all the instructors in the college are expected to hold classes.

e said he is not aware of any teachers canceling classes, and he does not want them to cancel classes on Tuesday or Wednesday If they do, he will have discussions with responsible teachers.