ASUSU vice president asks for opinions on having reading days before finals week
Ericka Ensign, academic vice president of the Associated Students of Utah State University, is sponsoring a campaign to designate university reading days — time off school prior to finals week.
Reading days would give students more study time, as well as allow time for review sessions when all students are available. School will be open, and teachers can be available, Ensign said.
There is some concern that the days off would not be used as intended. Martha Dever, president of Faculty Senate, said it is critical that support for reading days comes from a majority of students before it is made policy. If it doesn’t, she said, students may ask for early exams, and it could become a problem.
“We need to know that it’s a representative voice,” Dever said.
“I really feel that it’s for the benefit of students academically,” Ensign said, explaining it was part of the platform she was elected on.
“The only way this is going to be passed is through student support,” she said.
The new calendar, including two reading days before finals week, would most likely be implemented in the 2004-05 school year. The new schedule would not alter holiday breaks or the last day of school. Instead, it is proposed fall semester would begin on the Wednesday before the Monday currently scheduled, adding one lecture day to fall semester and shortening spring semester from 73 to 71 lecture days.
This would change the first weekend of the semester from the Labor Day four-day weekend, possibly encouraging first-year students to stay on campus and form ties with the school, Ensign said. The Week of Welcome would extend from the first day of school through the following Wednesday.
Many other Utah universities, including the University of Utah and Salt Lake Community College, as well as some of USU’s peer institutions give students days off before finals week.
The University of Utah has had one reading day prior to finals week since it converted to semesters in the fall of 1997.
“I think most students take advantage of it, but I’m sure there are [some] who don’t,” said Sondra Miller, senior associate registrar at the University of Utah.
The feedback has been very positive, she said.
The extra days would be nice, USU student Leigha Foster said, adding “Even if you’re given more time, it doesn’t mean you’re going to use the time wisely.”
An open forum will be held in the senate chambers of the Taggart Student Center, Room 336 on Feb. 4. Students can express their concerns or show support for the proposed policy. They can also contact Ensign at ensign@cc.usu.edu.
–katrich@cc.usu.edu