Although classes are scheduled for today and tomorrow, some students are giving themselves a few extra days of Thanksgiving break, regardless of whether professors have canceled classes.

Roshni Gosalia (freshman-film) usually has three classes per day, but today and tomorrow, she can take it easy.

"All of my teachers canceled class," she said.

Gosalia said many of her friends left Friday, even though some of them have class.

University Faculty Senate Chairman Jamie Myers said that although there isn't a university-wide class cancellation policy for Thanksgiving week, teachers should not be canceling class.

"We expect students to be in class, so students should expect faculty to be in class," he said.

But Myers said each individual college might have established its own policy regarding cancellations.

Liz Blickley (senior-engineering science) said she has only two classes this week, but most of her friends still have class.

"It doesn't matter though," she said. "Most of them aren't going anyway."

Blickley said more students might attend class this week if Thanksgiving break were a little longer.

"It would be a lot easier if we had next Monday off," she said.

Penn State spokesman Tysen Kendig said faculty members are responsible for attendance, so canceling classes is not encouraged.

"It's a given. Classes are supposed to be held, and there's no reason why they shouldn't be," he said. "There is a mindset among students that they think they can leave early for Thanksgiving break."

Blannie Bowen, vice provost for academic affairs, said faculty should be following the established calendar.

If a faculty member were to cancel his or her classes, it would be up to the department head to take action, Bowen said.

Bowen said he teaches Agricultural and Extension Education 330W (Communication in Agricultural and Natural Resource Careers), and each year, he usually sees less attendance Thanksgiving week.

"If students choose not to [attend class], then they miss out on all the work and discussion and activities," he said.

Biology professor Chris Uhl said class attendance before Thanksgiving gets worse every year, so he has come up with what he believes to be an innovative way to make both students and teachers happy.

Uhl said that last week, his biological science classes put in about three extra hours of class time, and his biology class had a special class on Saturday. As a result of this, he canceled his classes tomorrow.

"In the end, students are putting in more class time early on, and they're happy because they get more time for their Thanksgiving break," he said.

Mary Kate Keenan (sophomore-marketing) said all of her classes today and tomorrow are canceled. She left for home yesterday, but most of her friends are staying until tomorrow night, she said.

Sociology professor Sam Richards said he is not canceling class this week, even though he knows a lot of students have already left for home. He said the campus looked nearly deserted Friday.

"Monday I'll get a 33-percent reduction, and on Tuesday I'll get a 50-percent reduction," he said. "It's a problem. We're trying to cover material."