A proposal before a university committee would eliminate Stop Day from the Kansas University academic calendar.

The day is on the chopping block because of a desire to see spring semester classes start on the Tuesday after Martin Luther King Jr. Day, and for fall semester classes to start on a Monday. Now, Stop Day hinders the university’s ability to do that.

Currently, the semesters begin on a Thursday. In order to make the switch, KU would have to ask the Kansas Board of Regents to approve an academic calendar of fewer than the current 150 days.

The senate’s Calendar Committee also considered the larger-than-usual amount of alcohol consumed by students on Stop Day as a factor in recommending its removal, said Barb Phipps, committee chairwoman.

Students on the committee argued that they needed three days to prepare academically for the five-day finals week.

“The idea that two weekend days is enough to prepare for five consecutive days of finals is outrageous,” said Adam McGonigle, student body president.

The University Senate Executive Committee, or SenEx, balked on Tuesday at removing the day entirely. SenEx chairwoman Mary Berry suggested that the day be moved to Monday, with finals potentially running from Tuesday to Saturday. Some on the committee suggested that could interfere with the Jewish Sabbath.

For the students on the committee, it is unlikely that any calendar switches would affect them — any proposed changes would begin in the 2012-13 academic year.

If approved by SenEx, any changes to the calendar would need to approved by the entire University Senate, the provost, the chancellor and the regents before becoming final.

SenEx made no decisions on the changes, opting to consider more alternatives at its meeting next week.