By Michael Margavitch, Columnist
Hofstra students have just returned from what could be called an abridged Thanksgiving break. Instead of not having to attend class on Wednesday like every other year, Hofstra students found out at this semester's commencement that pre-Thanksgiving Wednesday classes were in session. Students who had to travel a far distance to reach their holiday destination found this alteration especially inconvenient. Most who found themselves in this predicament left the university early, leaving sparse classrooms on Wednesday. The trend of the school's inconvenient schedule this year continues with snow/study days and finals.
Usually, students are given two snow/ study days where classes are not in session. These two days give students the opportunity to study for their final exams. However, this year is different. Rather than having the usual two days to prepare for finals at the end of the last week of classes, students are given one snow/study day. This day falls on December 12th, the Monday of finals week.
This change can prove detrimental. With only one extra day to study before exams, test scores are in jeopardy. Scores will most likely return lower than previous semesters as students try to cram more information in a shorter amount of time.
Another annoyance emerges with the final schedule itself. Usually, finals occur within one week, with test times falling between Monday and Friday. However, with the one snow/study day occupying a late Monday in December, finals are forced to begin on Tuesday and conclude on the following Monday.
Just as with Thanksgiving, the extra inconvenient day added onto the schedule presents travel problems to students. Many on-campus students can only depart from the campus during the weekend, as parents have to pick up the student and the possessions they choose to bring along for the Winter Break. Because of the ill-advised Monday finals, many have to resort to an inconvenient second plan to find their way home.
This will surely present an issue to many professors as well. They will most likely be bombarded with students attempting to take their final earlier in order to avoid a complicated situation. Even if professors allow these numerous early finals, the students will be affected. With the upcoming break and travel on their brain, students will rush their preparation, which will, in turn, result in lower grades.
In order to reduce the stress of both students and professors alike, it is a necessity that Hofstra return to its more convenient schedule.This schedule seldom presented an issue.The new inconvenient schedule leads to an increase in stress in regard to study and travel, and perhaps lower test scores. These are not issues that Hofstra need to introduce.
Illustration by Ashlie Bauer