Most UC campuses follow a quarter system, which provides students the ability to take more classes during the school year and have extended breaks. However, next school year, 2014-2015, all quarter system UC schools will start a week later on Oct. 2 — giving students two weeks of winter break, with the quarter ending on Dec. 19 and the winter quarter beginning on Jan. 5.
The schedule change was created in response to the conflict of move-in week with the Jewish High Holy Days, which include Rosh Hashanah. Many Jewish students and their families often had to make additional accommodations with the campuses, sometimes even leading to the inability of students to fully participate in the move-in week activities.
Since the announcement, many UC students have had a lot of mixed feelings about the changes. Most are frustrated with having a shorter break and have started an online petition through Change.org. Some students, including those who do not identify as Jewish, are praising the efforts of the UC system to accommodate the Jewish community.