Many students spent the entire weekend celebrating Ohio State’s victory Friday night. For those students who attended the game, much of the celebrating was on the way back to Columbus in an effort to return to campus in time for the start of winter quarter.

Kevin Maguire, a senior in international studies, said students would have problems getting back in time for class yesterday. “Prior to the Michigan game, all flights with all airlines were pretty much open, and really cheap fares were available for flights leaving Arizona on Jan. 5.”

Maguire received tickets to the Fiesta Bowl from his brother, who works for Frito-Lay, so he was able to purchase airline tickets immediately after OSU’s win against Michigan.

“Right after the game, we left the stadium, ran to Dreese and booked the tickets from the computer lab there. We were even at the confirmation page of one set of tickets with Continental and the prices jumped while we were booking them,” Maguire said.

“But since a lot of students didn’t know if they could get tickets or not until the student ticket lottery, they probably had to fly out late on the fifth or the morning of the sixth,” he said.

While some students found themselves scrambling to get back to Columbus in time for classes, pushing back the start of classes to accommodate students and staff was not an option.

“The sixth is already the latest possible date we could start,” said Martha Garland, vice provost and dean of undergraduate studies. “We tend to start on the first Monday in January. A few years ago, New Year’s Day fell on a Sunday, and we planned on starting the following Monday.

“There was an outcry from students because they felt they would need to travel on New Year’s Day,” she said. “A decision was then made that if Jan. 1 falls on a Sunday or Monday, classes would start on the following Wednesday.”

Spring break was also a reason the starting date for classes could not be pushed back.

“Starting on the seventh is not an option,” Garland said. “We have a 10-week quarter, and one week for exams. If we were to push back classes, we would have to cut back spring break, and I can’t imagine that students would want us to make spring break three days long.”

Even if some students weren’t able to make it back in time for classes on Monday, there will not be a major impact on students or faculty.

“My experience is that about 15-20 percent of students miss the first day of classes anyhow, so I don’t think it will make much difference if they miss the first day,” said Professor Bradley Clymer of the electrical engineering department.

“It seems like half the students change classes within the first day or two,” Maguire said. “Nothing is due, so it’s very easy to catch up.”