Study days authorized for fall '11

University administrators approved a temporary study-days resolution presented by the Student Government Association last semester, giving students two class-free days to prepare for finals.

The plan calls for no mandatory academic events to be held on the Friday and Monday prior to final exams, beginning this fall.

The only exception is for classes held exclusively on Monday, which will maintain their current schedule.

While the ruling incorporates the concept of study days, it does not reflect the specific recommendations originally presented to Provost Peter Fos.

That document called for a greater number of study days, as well as a provision allowing professors to issue their exams early.

In the absence of SGA president Sara Khalifa, who was attending a conference in Austin at the time of the announcement, vice president Kortlan Porter read the official statement released by the University:

“Deans and the Provost supported the request of study days on a trial basis for 2011-2012,” Porter said.

“President Mabry has approved the study days and accepted the changes to the 2011-2012 calendar.”

Administrators plan to revisit the issue when the trial expires in 2012.

SGA representatives first addressed this topic in September, when the senate spent two weeks deliberating and amending their proposal.

They unanimously approved the resolution on Oct. 7.

Their recommendation included the extinction of mandatory classes during the Monday-Friday business week prior to final exams.

It also provided a loophole for professors who desired to issue their final exam one week early, as long as they outlined their intention in the class syllabus.

The University’s official ruling included neither of these provisions due to concerns regarding the amount of days public universities are required to hold classes.

Registrar Sonja Morale said the state mandates the University to provide 2250 minutes of classroom contact.

“If we were to try to get more days, we would have either have to take away days from winter break, start earlier in the summer or change class lengths,” Khalifa said.

Associate Professor of Biology Blake Bextine supports the University’s compromise and said many classes already limit activity on the days in question.

“In a lot of ways, most professors provide (study days) anyway,” Bextine said.“I don’t usually organize my classes to where there are tests the week before (final exams).”

Michele Jenkins, a junior chemistry major, agrees the policy won’t have a significant impact on test preparation.

“Usually those days right before finals week, the teacher gives up to review anyway,” Jenkins said. “In that sense, I don’t know how much more of a benefit it would be.”

Anna Strout, junior at A&M University, said gives students the ability to study without being interrupted.

“I always feel like right when I’m getting some good studying in I have to get up and go to class at other school where they don’t have dead week,” she said.

A&M gives students three days off before finals.