Home for the holidays

This is not the year for exotic vacations and extravagant adventures, at such places as Cancun or the French Riviera. A brief survey of 10 faculty and staff members on VCU’s Monroe Park Campus indicated three main themes, work, family and relaxation, for their holiday plans.

“I wish you had asked me last year what I was doing for winter break,” said Helene Lovell, office manager of the L. Douglas Wilder School of Government and Public Affairs. “I went to San Diego and Mexico. This year I’ll be home with my parents in Richmond.”

Wanda Clary, history department administrative specialist, said she usually travels but her main objective for the winter break this year entails painting the inside walls of her house.

Martha Green, assistant vice provost for student affairs and enrollment services, plans to head to North Carolina so she can bring her 89-year-old mother to Richmond to help celebrate the holidays. Robyn Lacks, assistant criminal justice professor, said she, too, will spend time with family and catch up on some work.

Reuban Rodriguez, associate vice provost and dean of student affairs, wants to relax at home in Richmond after being in the city only since his arrival this summer.

“That’s exciting enough for me right now,” he said.

While the majority of the VCU community won’t set foot on campus after final exams until Jan.11, preapproved intersession faculty and staff members, including those with critical research projects or project deadlines, will return to work shortly after Christmas.

Jennifer Ludovici, education-abroad director, said she will spend her time between semesters on-call in her office, ensuring that no problems arise during an intersession study-abroad program in Spain.

“I’m spending Christmas Day with family in Roanoke,” Ludovici said. “Other than that I’ll be here.”

Richard Priebe, African literature and world literature professor, said he’ll be catching up on research and reviewing research proposals for the National Endowment of Humanities. If he gets a chance, he said, he’ll try to go fishing.

Professors teaching intersession courses have only an abbreviated retreat from campus, meaning they must condense their holiday plans.

Alan Briceland, associate history professor, begins teaching his American-history course the day after his return from visiting his son in Detroit.

“Oh yes,” he said facetiously, “the exciting motor city.”

Stan Horner, organizational behavior adjunct professor, also will visit his children, saying he looks forward to sharing eight days with them in Dallas.

For many faculty and staff, however, the break offers opportunities for free time — something not afforded during the regular semesters.

Daniel Smith, global ethics and world religions professor, described what he saw as the beauty of winter break.

“One can pursue one’s own interests beyond the scope of the classroom,” he said.