Following Monday cancellations caused by consecutive snowstorms in the beginning of the 2015 spring semester, the University of Massachusetts Boston is extending the academic semester by one Thursday.
“We want to be certain that students and faculty have the opportunity to meet curricular objectives,” says Provost Winston Langley.
In a memorandum sent to students on Feb. 13, the provost indicated Thursday, May 14, would serve as the “Monday Makeup Day.” Classes that ordinarily meet at 8 a.m. on Mondays will meet at 8 a.m. on that day.
Students are asked to make arrangements with their respective professors if they can’t be present on this Thursday.
The study period for exams will occur Friday, May 15, through Sunday, May 17, and the exam period will remain as Monday, May 18, through Friday, May 22.
Student eligibility for graduation will not be affected by the additional day added to the academic calendar. The 2015 Commencement remains scheduled for May 29. 
Provost Langley says the administration is discussing the possibility of adding more makeup days to the academic year. Days within the spring break period have been considered, but decided against. 
When asked how additional scheduled classes would affect the courses she is teaching, Associate Professor of Women’s Studies Amy Den Ouden said, “My main concern is for our students, who have very demanding academic and work schedules, and who have been dealing with extremely difficult commuting conditions over the past three weeks.”  
“I think that we all might consider discussing this further in our classrooms, and sharing students’ thoughts on this with our department chairs.”
According to the National Weather Service, 98.5 inches of snow have hit Boston during the months of January and February. This snowy onslaught has lead to the cancellation of classes on three Mondays, three Tuesdays, and one Wednesday. 
As a result, teachers tweaked their syllabi, and some readings and assignments are becoming homework. Students are sweating the extra workloads. 
“You’re talking [about] double the reading material. I’m looking at 50 plus pages a night. [I’m] just trying to do the best I can with the given circumstances,” says criminal justice major Kingsley Alli, something echoed in a similar statement by business management major Francella Phem. 
Ph.D Biology candidate Aaron Honig says the weather stalled his research by preventing access to new equipment in the the Etter Lab, located inside the recently opened Integrated Sciences Complex.