2008 Woodie Awards
Editorial: Students, fight for your rights
Issue date: 12/7/07 Section: Editorial/Opinion
- Page 1 of 1
12/07/07 - In kindergarten, if you told on someone you had the word "tattle-tale" hanging over your head for weeks, maybe even months at a time. But in the case of finals week at the University of Rhode Island, students shouldn't be afraid to take advantage of their rights to keep proper exam times and let department deans know about rescheduling issues.
What it comes down to is this: nobody wants to be "that guy" who goes past the professor to talk to the dean about how unfair it is that he or she moved an exam to an earlier date. Let's face it - "that guy" is today's college-version of the everyday "tattle-taler."
But why not have a chat with the professor first? Students would be surprised to learn that sometimes just talking with professors before going straight to a dean can be quite effective. But as college students who are paying good money to learn and put their skills to the test, it's only right that they are able to get ample study time in for final examinations, which usually count for a large percentage of semester grades.
Every year, there are professors who schedule exams during the last week before finals. They may try to disguise them as mere "quizzes" or just a "minor test," but the University Manual clearly states that any kind of examination during the last five official days of class cannot be administered, even if there's technically no final exam.
On the flip side of things, there are also students who take advantage of the three-exam rule, waiting until the very last minute to tell their instructors that they have two other exams the day of another final. There are two reading days in which, aside from getting some good studying time in, also provide ample opportunity to give professors the ol' "Hey, what's up?" and explain any kind of scheduling conflict or problem with the final exam.
Finals week is one of the most stressful times for students and faculty - everyone's trying to get organized and it's easy to fall into the trap of anxiety. But students shouldn't hesitate to fight for their rights, and professors should think twice about rescheduling even if their only intention is to be more accommodating.
If it is truly a problem for professors and students to have finals week so late in the month, which it seems to be, both should push for better scheduling the next time around. With the holidays, reading days and class days all having to fit into one tiny semester, it's understandable that creating the calendar for the academic year can be a bit difficult. But when it causes problems for out-of-state students and faculty, the administration should consider making some new accommodations.
What it comes down to is this: nobody wants to be "that guy" who goes past the professor to talk to the dean about how unfair it is that he or she moved an exam to an earlier date. Let's face it - "that guy" is today's college-version of the everyday "tattle-taler."
But why not have a chat with the professor first? Students would be surprised to learn that sometimes just talking with professors before going straight to a dean can be quite effective. But as college students who are paying good money to learn and put their skills to the test, it's only right that they are able to get ample study time in for final examinations, which usually count for a large percentage of semester grades.
Every year, there are professors who schedule exams during the last week before finals. They may try to disguise them as mere "quizzes" or just a "minor test," but the University Manual clearly states that any kind of examination during the last five official days of class cannot be administered, even if there's technically no final exam.
On the flip side of things, there are also students who take advantage of the three-exam rule, waiting until the very last minute to tell their instructors that they have two other exams the day of another final. There are two reading days in which, aside from getting some good studying time in, also provide ample opportunity to give professors the ol' "Hey, what's up?" and explain any kind of scheduling conflict or problem with the final exam.
Finals week is one of the most stressful times for students and faculty - everyone's trying to get organized and it's easy to fall into the trap of anxiety. But students shouldn't hesitate to fight for their rights, and professors should think twice about rescheduling even if their only intention is to be more accommodating.
If it is truly a problem for professors and students to have finals week so late in the month, which it seems to be, both should push for better scheduling the next time around. With the holidays, reading days and class days all having to fit into one tiny semester, it's understandable that creating the calendar for the academic year can be a bit difficult. But when it causes problems for out-of-state students and faculty, the administration should consider making some new accommodations.