Student Council President Micah Schwartz sponsored a resolution presented to Council last Tuesday proposing an increase in the number of reading days before final exams each semester.
Council approved the resolution that night. The proposal now will be presented to the student body through a referendum on the student election ballot.
Schwartz suggested that an additional two days be added in the fall and one extra day in the spring. The added days may not be consecutive -- Schwartz's proposal placed the new days in between exams.
"The spring calendar works in such a way that there is a Sunday that falls in the middle of exams so it is not necessary to add an extra day," Schwartz said.
There are five benefits to increasing the number of days, according to Schwartz: grades will improve, students who keep up with the pace of the course will be rewarded instead of those who are good at cramming and student stress levels will decrease. In addition, professors will be able to assign more intense assignments that can measure competence more accurately and they will have more time to grade assignments.
Council already has decided to split the referendum into two questions: One will survey student interest in the additional reading days, and the second will ask whether students would be willing to push the end of fall exams back to Dec. 22 if necessary.
According to the current proposal, Schwartz said, this would be the case twice every seven years, approximately once in every student's college career.
If students vote in favor of the referendum, Schwartz will present the resolution to the University administration.
"President Casteen has the final say concerning the calendar," said Ronnie Mayhew, council executive vice president.
University students have varying opinions about increasing the number of reading days. Some students say they believe increasing reading holidays will be beneficial.
"I think that's a great idea," third-year College student Neetul Sharma said. "We could get more reading done."
Fifth-year Education school student Lisha Gomes concurred.
"I wish they would have had it while I was here," Gomes said. "It will definitely help students with their course load."
Other students said they believed an increase is not necessary.
"I think two days is fine," third-year College student Becca Cummings said. "I'd rather buckle down and get them over with."
Fourth-year College student Sheila Nagy had a different idea.
"I would like it better if the University would do the same thing some other schools are doing where you can't have any exams a month before finals," Nagy said.
Students can vote on the referendum Feb. 18-20.
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