It’s spring break, but that might not mean anything to you.

Which makes me think of the many calendars we use on campus, and how that highlights the diversity of programs, jobs, and experiences at UNLV—or any major university.

First, we have the standard calendar. That’s the one that starts on January 1, ends on December 31, and holds a succession of federal holidays, as well as a state one everyone loves, Nevada Day.

But wait! The fiscal year dictates many processes, including, for many faculty, changes in rank.

Next comes the academic calendar the one that usually starts in mid-to-late August. It’s when students arrive back on campus and the Fall semester begins. Those of us who teach and learn on the Maryland campus mostly follow this schedule: saying hello to the course material, getting down to business, midterms, Thanksgiving, the rush to the final followed by a long rest, then gearing back up in mid-January for Spring semester, with the same general pathway, punctuated by spring break, and ending in early May. Then, summer sessions, then the year begins again.

But Nursing, Dental, Medical, and Law students aren’t exactly on that calendar, which sets them apart. It may be as simple as the schedule for a humanities course that is crosslisted with Law not quite aligning, or it might mean that the entire tempo of the semester (or trimester) is different. Which makes a difference.

Sports, of course, have multiple calendars, with seasons beginning and ending at different times for different sports. A quick look at the Rebels’ composite calendar shows just how complex it can be. Is it the offseason? For someone, maybe, but for someone else, things are just getting interested.

Even the seasons can affect us differently on campus. Those of us who work outside will have major shifts in the summer months, while for those in offices, it’s just a matter of coping with a pre-heated car in our evening commute—something that those working remotely may not have to worry about.

Then there are the calendars external to UNLV that still govern our lives. Parents of school-age children have their own academic calendars to manage, which may or may not sync up with one of the several that govern UNLV faculty, staff, and students. And religions have calendars independent of the secular one: when is Holi, Passover, Ramadan, or Nowruz this year? Or next year?

With all of those calendars, it isn’t surprising that we often feel siloed, cut off from everyone else. For academic departments, this is a week of rest (or catching up). For other units, it is a chance to rush some preventative maintenance while much of the campus is empty. And for others, it is business as usual, with maybe fewer people around as we walk to our offices.

These differing calendars are necessary, but they also mean that the calendar divides us, reminding us of our differences. And that’s not so bad. After all, the purpose of a university is to be many things to many people. As a major urban research university, UNLV is simultaneously a place for learning and skill-building, a scientific center, and a community partner. Despite the differences in what we all do—some in labs, some in classrooms, some in offices, some in a variety of places—we are hopefully united by our commitment to UNLV’s mission, which is, most briefly stated, “to improve the lives of our diverse students and transforming our communities through education and engagement.”

But when those differences, whether they are calendar-based or philosophical, create a divide, they contradict that mission. And that’s when it is time to explore just why we have silos. Is it to store grain for times of future hunger, or to warehouse weapons of mass destruction? Protection against want, protection against attack, protection to attack—this is what a silo is for, isn’t it?

So then why do we build silos in our work? What are we hoarding? What are we keeping intact as a deterrent? Following our own calendar is one thing, but building structures to keep others out—or us in—has no constructive or altruistic purpose. It may feel comfortable, giving the illusion of security, but in the end, it only isolates.

That’s why any program that connects people across divisions, like the micro-externships that have begun in Academic Advising, is a step in the right direction. In my role as ombuds, I get to see many sides of conflicts, both big and small. And while some may be rooted in deep-seated disagreements about values or long-running personal animosities of indeterminate but bitter origin, most are simple misunderstandings. Now, as a child of the 1980s I’m hard-wired to accept misunderstandings as the plot of most sitcoms (I remember Three’s Company as particularly fond of this trope), but without a laugh track, they are a lot less funny. Particularly when the joke is on us. And misunderstandings tend to diminish as others understand better what we do and how we see the world—in other words, when silos break down.

And if you are having trouble reaching through the walls, or feel that there are good reasons not to leave the silo, it helps to have someone to talk to. Whether you are a student, faculty member, or other UNLV employee, the Ombuds Office has many resources available to help you through any conflict or communication issue you might be facing. If you are having an issue and are uncertain where to go, it is an excellent zero-barrier first stop. 

If you would like to talk privately and confidentially about any work- or campus-related concern, please make an appointment with the Ombuds. Our hailing frequencies are always open.

David G. Schwartz

UNLV Ombuds