With the traditional college weekend beginning on Thursday for many, Friday classes are often either skipped or non-existent. A growing trend among college administrations, however, indicates that for students nationwide, the luxury of creating a four-day (or shorter) schedule may become obsolete.
Numerous colleges across the nation have proposed plans to take back Friday as an academic and class-filled day.
At a number of universities, students have taken the opportunity to avoid classes on Friday because far fewer classes are scheduled on this day. In addition, professors say that fewer students attend class on the Fridays that class is in session.
Syracuse University, which conducts only 688 classes on Friday compared to 1,307 during the average weekday has proposed a new way of scheduling classes in hopes of solving the dilemma. Under this system, students would attend courses in blocks of Monday/Wednesday/Thursday, Monday/Thursday or Tuesday/Friday.
“The first thing we’re attempting to do is to spread course offerings more evenly across the week,” Ronald R. Cavanagh, vice president for undergraduate studies at Syracuse University.
Cavanagh noted problems with classes currently scheduled on Friday.
“There has been some complaint that students are either not as attentive when they do attend or just more likely to skip a class on Friday,” he said. “I know Syracuse is not unique in its concerns for Friday.”
Clark University in Worcester, Mass., is also in the process of approving a similar block system.
Both institutions hope that the new system will not only help solve scheduling conflicts, but also open up more free time for students earlier in the week, instead of just on Friday, and thus reduce the amount of partying on Thursday nights.
Jack Mitchell, professor of journalism and mass communications at the University of Wisconsin, said UW is considering a similar scheduling system, in which the emphasis on classes would be placed earlier in the week in 75-minute sessions.
“It’s just the opposite response [to Thursday-night partying],” he said.
Other universities have faced the challenge of low student attendance in different ways.
At the University of Richmond, for example, professors are strongly encouraged to take attendance and dish out more tests and quizzes on Fridays.
But UW freshman Tim Treffert does not necessarily see a graded assignment as a hindrance to a night of “Thirsty Thursday” fun.
“There’s nothing worse than going to class hung-over, so if I know I have a quiz or a speech the next morning, I just don’t drink — at least not as much as usual,” he said.
Barry Jackson, wellness director at the Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania, sees a five-day class schedule and mandatory attendance as one of the most effective ways to reduce Thursday-night drinking. Jackson and his colleagues have conducted a number of studies leading them to this conclusion.
“National research and local research indicates that many students begin to see Thursday night as the weekend and in some cases Wednesday night,” Jackson said. “The conclusion of our research is that most students do better with structure than with non-structure … environmental structure contributes to success.”
In the eyes of Jackson, this environmental success comes in part from Friday classes.
Even though students may believe classes cease to exist on Friday, they still continue nationwide. Even with decreased attendance, professors continue teaching class, planning lectures and holding students accountable for the information taught.
Mitchell, who has seen a lowered rate of student attendance in his Friday lectures throughout his teaching career, commented that his teaching style remains unchanged, despite reduced Friday attendance.
“I don’t really take it into account. It doesn’t change how I teach,” he said. “I feel that it’s their problem. That’s their choice. They’re adults, and if they make that choice, it’s not up to us.”
