Senate to make changes to
exam policy
Need for space, time causes
Senate to add Monday
night exams
By Dave Stephens
Assistant
Campus Editor
The University Senate will be making changes to
the evening exam policy, adding exams on Monday night, in its first
meeting of the spring semester.
"Basically, we are adding Monday nights to the
exam schedule because we've run out of space and time slots for all
of the evening exams," said Terry Stewart, professor of animal sciences.
The current regulation allows exams on Tuesday,
Wednesday and Thursday evenings from 7 to 8 p.m. or 8:30 to 9:30 p.m.
Monday nights were traditionally used as fraternity, sorority and club
meeting nights.
"There has been some concern that this would cause
conflict with some student organizations," said Stewart, "but we checked
with the Interfraternity Council and the Panhellinc Association, and
many chapters are now meeting on other nights of the week. Also, a survey
of the student calendar shows that all nights of the week are being
used for club meetings."
As part of the proposal, the University Senate
is also expected to pass a resolution that will change the start of
exam times to help alleviate congestion from students entering and exiting
exams.
"We are planning on changing the start time of
the first exam from 7 to 6:30 so that students leaving from the first
exam will not run into students entering for the second," said Stewart.
"This time change has actually been in effect for several years, this
is just a matter of actually getting it in writing."
Stewart also said that the new hours would only
apply when two exams are being taken in the same hall on the same night.
"The only potential conflict that I've seen is
from athletic programs because many of them run practice up until 6,
but I can't see that being a big factor," Stewart said.
Linda Mason, University Senate chair and associate
professor of food pest entomology, said that she expects the proposal
to be approved unanimously.
"It will be a very quick meeting, that's the only
document coming up for discussion, and I don't anticipate a lot of debate
over it," said Mason.
Stewart said that the main concern for adding Monday
night was the lack of new rooms to take tests in and the problem of
having students take multiple exams in one night.
"Basically all of the facilities that can hold
a large evening exam are already in use, we do not have any more room
available. We try to eliminate the problem of students having three
exams in one night, and we try to have as few students as possible taking
two exams in one night. The best solution to the problem is to allow
exams on Monday nights," said Stewart.
Stewart also said that while holding exams on Monday
will temporarily solve the problem of scheduling evening exams, he doesn't
expect to add Friday night to the list.
"I don’t think any one would dare to mention
Friday night as a possible exam night, there'd probably be quite a backlash
from students," Stewart said. "It's really the lesser of two evils,
students having to take multiple exams in one night or students missing
a club or chapter meeting."
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