Listen up, administration (students, go back to the library while it's still open!). There are two key things you can do to drastically improve the end of semester experience for students: end classes on a Friday, and provide later and greater night study space.
Despite the term "finals week," professors often give final exams or have final papers due on the last day of class. So, the craziest times for students can very well be the days surrounding this "last week."
Most students not only study for tests and/or write papers for classes during this week but also deliver presentations and attend classes (to leave a good lasting impression). What a headache. Think you're busy yet? Oh, wait, extracurricular activities and jobs are still in full swing.
By having the last day of classes on a Monday, this madness extends an additional weekend rather than allowing students a much-needed breather before the final push of "finals week." Reading period isn't sacred, either: since finals extend so late into December, many small classes may vote to move their finals to an earlier day (reading period) to get off-campus early.
Perhaps a Monday schedule could replace the Friday schedule during the last week of classes.
Students will then have a weekend before reading period begins, leaving more time to study for the tests or write the papers moved to those earlier dates.
And with this de facto finals period, library hours are still the same as the rest of the year: The late-night study room closes at 3 a.m. The discrimination against night owls/early birds is accepted in society but should not be accepted at Tufts. During the day, students have their pick of buildings on campus and local caf?©s, but after 1 a.m. only the late-night reading room study is available.
Furthermore, while the reading room can be applauded for staying open until 6 a.m. starting this upcoming Saturday, where can students study between the hours of 6 a.m. and 10 a.m.?
Should they go home, sleep for four hours and come back when the library re-opens? Why are students prevented from pulling all-nighters in the library if they so choose?
There is certainly a case to be made for a 24-hour quiet study space in the library, but financial constraints might prohibit this. At the least, however, late-night study should be accessible until 6 a.m. during the last week of class.
The costs of keeping the reading room open late might be high, but so is tuition, which goes to support extremely sophisticated teaching resources.
But simple measures to continually consider, evaluate and improve student study space makes a world of difference and helps students realize these resources to their full potential.
Efforts like the TCU Senate pilot program that kept the Tower caf?© space open late this semester are to be applauded.
With these efforts, students might actually have time to read this editorial.
Not to mention breathe.
