Reintroducing finals on Sunday has increased the flood of students looking for study space during the final week of classes. (Rachel Ramberg/CU Independent)
Students will now have a break between classes and finals, but the free days don’t come without some drawbacks
This semester, for the first time in 15 years, CU students will be granted a 47-hour reprieve between the end of classes on Friday and the start of finals on Sunday. The change in the academic calendar has set final exams to begin at 4 p.m. Sunday evening and end at 10 p.m. Thursday night.
Reading days, free days between classes and finals, were eliminated in 1999 after students requested a fall break in October. In 2006, the academic calendar transitioned to allow for a week-long Thanksgiving break.
At the end of the Spring 2013 term, CU Student Government requested the reinstallation of reading days before fall and spring finals — which was endorsed by the campus faculty assembly. They expressed concern about the quick changeover from instructional period to exam period that started finals at 7:30 a.m. on Saturday.
A statement released by the university, says that the new academic calendar will be in effect for the coming years. In the statement, Chancellor Philip P. Distefano is quoted saying, “we have examined the advantages as well as the costs of this adjustment, and have made a change which will benefit our students for years to come.”
Salvatore Demuro, a sophomore studying political science, has no problem with the change and his upcoming Sunday final.
“I feel it’s completely appropriate,” said Salvatore, “It’s asking students to take one Sunday out of their whole semester to dedicate it to school, something that will be beneficial to your future.”
Others brought up concern about the potential conflict with religious observances that finals on Sunday pose.
“I don’t really mind having a final on Sunday,” said senior Garrett Jaso. “But I do understand and respect the religious observances of other students who may be faced with having to take a final on that day.”
“The change to the calendar will incur some small expenses for the campus, as we add an additional day to the workweek for a selection of our faculty and staff,” the statement read, “This will be offset in the end by the elimination of the costs for the Winter Commencement ceremony.”
These reading days will push back winter commencement to the Saturday following finals, and after 2016, the ceremony will be done away with completely.
Students will still have the chance to be recognized by their department and college, just not at a campus-wide ceremony.
For more information about final exam policy, students can visit the guidelines listed on the university website.
Contact Staff Writer Bethlehem Feleke at Bethlehem.feleke@colorado.edu
