Friday, September 21, 2001

PC plans for smaller Family Weekend
By Kristin Delorantis
Staff Reporter

Programming Council is downsizing Family Weekend in anticipation of less out-of-state travel due to current flight situations, PC Vice President Sara Komenda said.

“There are a lot of delayed and canceled flights,” she said. “We are just assuming there will be a smaller Family Weekend.”

Phyllis Bodie, the PC Family Weekend advisor, said 500 families are registered to attend Family Weekend. Sixty percent of these families are from Texas, she said.

Family Weekend chairperson Christine Schmidt said the original itinerary will stick, but PC is placing smaller orders for food and materials.

Vice Chancellor Don Mills said that because of the security measures now in place, the total time to fly will be lengthened by two to three hours, and everyone flying this weekend will be affected.

But Mills said he thinks some families will choose another form of travel to be with their loved ones.

“I have no doubt that some families will be unable to attend Family Weekend, but others may simply choose to drive rather than fly,” he said. “When there is a significant, cataclysmic event, it may well be that regardless of travel difficulties, folks will want to be with their children and students will want to be with their parents. In that sense, Family Weekend is well planned.”

Rose Maginot, a freshman biology major, said her parents in San Antonio opted to drive rather than fly to Family Weekend.

“I can imagine many families are not going to be able to make it this weekend in light of the current situation,” Maginot said. “Fortunately, my parents have the option of driving.”

Freshman pre-major Amanda Clayton said she is devastated that she will not be seeing her mother this weekend.

She said her mom’s fear of flying magnified, and she does not want to risk the trip.

“I was beyond excited when my mom sent me her flight confirmation as a surprise,” Clayton said. “The stresses that go hand-in-hand with college were getting to me and knowing that I was going to see my mom gave me hope.

“When she told me she wasn’t coming, it literally ruined my whole weekend.”

Kristin Delorantis
k.a.delorantis@student.tcu.edu