While Ohio University students are spending the four-week winter break at home in sweatpants watching TV shows and catching up on sleep, OU administrators will still be hard at work — at least for part of the time.
“I try to use the breaks as my down time to take any vacation with my family, but, because of the nature of my work, which is so student-centered, it’s a good time for me to catch up on administrative stuff when I don’t have as many meetings,” said Ryan Lombardi, vice president for Student Affairs.
The university will close from Dec. 25 to Jan. 1 to observe the holidays.
Lombardi said he uses the time that students are gone to catch up on administrative and budget reports. The Division of Student Affairs’ staff goes on a retreat to plan for the Spring Semester, he said.
“(We do) the things that you can’t normally do during the busy times that students are here,” said Jenny Hall-Jones, dean of students.
She said she’ll be attending the retreat as well as a board meeting in Cleveland and catching up on administrative work.
Lombardi will have some company up in Cutler Hall, as he won’t be the only one there working during the break.
“I will be in Athens during winter break,” said Stephen Golding, vice president for finance and administration. “I am sure I will be taking time off, but will probably also try and do a little catching up before Spring Semester starts.”
Other administrators will be taking it a little easier during the break.
“I plan to spend as much time as possible with my family,” said Pam Benoit, executive vice president and provost. “I hope winter break will be a time of rest and relaxation for all employees and their loved ones.”
President Roderick McDavis will also be spending time with his family.
“During the winter closer, Deborah and I plan to visit family in Dayton, Ohio, as well as enjoy some down time in Athens,” McDavis said.
As much as the winter break allows for students to rest and recharge their batteries, it’s the same for administrators.
“For me being the Student Affairs person, I don’t take any time (off) during the semester, usually not even a day, I mean I might have to run up to a meeting here, go out of town real quick, but there’s virtually no time off during the semester,” Lombardi said.
The break allows for Lombardi to have a more normal work day.
“For those four weeks it’s kind of an 8-to-5 gig for me. It’s not all the evenings and weekend stuff.”
For Hall-Jones and Lombardi, administrators whose work centers on students, the month without students on campus is a strange time.
“It’s eerie, it is,” Lombardi said. “It’s a little less intense for me anyway and I will definitely take the time with my kids.”
@MariaDeVito13
This article ran in print under the headline "Winter break for university officials differs from students."
