The LSU Board of Supervisors cancelled classes on Monday and Tuesday, unanimously voting to postpone the start of the spring semester two days to allow for students’ travel to the National Championship Game in New Orleans on Monday.
After discussing the pros and cons of postponing the beginning of the semester, the board decided to cancel classes.
LSU Media Relations Director Ernie Ballard said the makeup days have not yet been finalized, but any changes made to the academic calendar will be communicated to students and faculty as soon as possible.
Though all classes are canceled, an email sent to University students stated the campus will remain open on those days. LSU employees are expected to work. However, many students are thrilled to have two free days to partake in gameday activities and not worry about getting back to campus in time for Tuesday classes.
Prior to this decision, hundreds of students took to Twitter to suggest they’d be taking a skip day on Monday anyway. Kinesiology junior Anna Rabalais created an online petition to cancel class, which gained almost 4,000 signatures.
Mass communication sophomore Olivia Morgan, along with many of her peers, knew that whether or not the University canceled class, she would not be in attendance.
“I’m planning on going to New Orleans. I do not have tickets, but I want to be in the city for the excitement of it,” Morgan said.
Morgan said it was necessary for the University to cancel classes to ensure students’ safety while traveling.
“Having students drive home late Monday night after the game to make their Tuesday classes would be dangerous considering traffic and drunk driving risks,” Morgan said.
Students with tickets to the game were pleased to hear the Board of Supervisors canceled class. Biology senior Hailey Simpson is one of the lucky 500 students with the most priority points whose ticket to the game was covered by Taco Bell. Unable to miss class, Simpson is excited she will no longer face dangerous traffic rushing from Baton Rouge to New Orleans.
“For students’ safety when traveling to New Orleans and back, it was definitely a good idea to cancel classes,” Simpson said.
Simpson commended the University’s change of heart and said the class cancellation allowed for students to support their fellow classmates on the field.
“Having so many students absent from the first couple days of classes is counterproductive.” Simpson said. “I think the Board of Supervisors understood all these factors and made the right decision.”
Now that students have stopped worrying about missing class, they can celebrate the Tigers’ most important game of the season however they like.
Many fans like Morgan, who were not fortunate enough to snag tickets, will flood New Orleans’ bars and restaurants to watch the historic game.
Students and LSU fans lucky enough to have tickets to the National Championship will watch the undefeated LSU Tigers face off against the also undefeated Clemson Tigers. Kickoff for the 2020 National Championship Game in the Mercedes Benz Superdome will be at 7 p.m. on Monday, Jan. 13.
“LSU has faced one of the toughest schedules in the country and come out victorious,” Simpson said. “I have full faith in our team to win.”