Calgary's Mount Royal University adds fall reading week

Students at Mount Royal University will get a new four-day break from classes in the next fall semester aimed at boosting their mental well-being as well as their grades, the school says.

The break is being added after Thanksgiving, from Oct. 10 to Oct. 13 next year.

"The decision to add a fall term reading week reflects our commitment to student success," said MRU president David Docherty in a release.

The new reading week was recommended by the President's Task Force on Student Mental Health in 2013.

Students at the University of Lethbridge's Calgary campus had their first fall reading break the week of Nov. 7, a change that was announced last year, also to promote mental health and well-being.

Students at the University of Calgary got a shorter, Thursday to Sunday mid-semester break this fall from Nov. 10 to Nov.13.

St. Mary's University hada two-day reading break during this fall term and recently announced there will be a full week reading break next fall.

Ambrose University, a private Christianpost-secondary school, has two days of "Spiritual Emphasis Days" in September, during which there are no daytime classes.

All five universities have a week-long break from classes during their winter terms.

The Students' Association of Mount Royal University (SAMRU) applauded the move.

"Giving students a chance to prioritize their well-being will undoubtedly improve their chances at academic success and contribute to an overall improvement in the quality of their lives and education," said SAMRU vice-president academic Robert Nelson in a release.

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