MSA and GPC discuss Reading Day changes

Reading Day would move to Thursday with finals beginning the next day.

By Amanda Wysocki

Published March 12, 2009

The Missouri Students Association and Graduate Professional Council are teaming up to set a referendum concerning the proposed changes to the academic calendar.

At the MSA Senate meeting Wednesday, a resolution passed to set a referendum on the calendar for April 6-8, the same dates of the MSA Senate elections.

The Faculty Council voted to change Reading Day, which occurs during the last week before finals, from Friday to Thursday and begin final exams the next day. GPC was not consulted about this change.

"We were informed that the academic calendar changes are going through without any student input," GPC President Alaine Arnott said. "As people that are not only students but also teachers, we should have been consulted. Since we were not consulted, that is why we feel it needs to be revisited."

Arnott said she would like to see students given a chance to voice their opinions on the calendar changes.

"I would just like to see the best interest of the students met," Arnott said. "Whatever the students decide, I would like to see them say what they think would be the best decision for them."

GPC Vice President Sarah Symonds said she was shocked the Faculty Council was considering moving Reading Day without consulting GPC.

"The students deserve a voice," Symonds said. "It's as simple as that."

Prior to the 2004-2005 school year, Reading Day was on the Friday before final exams began. It then moved to Saturday for two years before returning to where it stands now.

"Moving it up a day is just going to cause a lot of unnecessary hassles for graduate and professional students," Symonds said.

Symonds said that since many graduate students teach in addition to taking classes, they would have to grade papers as well as write them that weekend.

"You used to have two or three days to worry about writing papers before you had to worry about grading papers," Symonds said.

GPC and MSA will meet Monday night to discuss how to make the referendum available to all students, Arnott said.

MSA Senator Phyllis Williams was behind establishing the referendum.

"I want the referendum to be as unbiased as possible," Williams said. "I want to let the students decide."

The referendum will simply ask if students support the Reading Day change or not.

Williams said because students have always struggled to get more time to prepare for finals, this is a step in the wrong direction.

"Other universities have an entire week to study," Williams said. "This is putting students in a really big bind."

Williams said she is excited to work with the GPC on this issue.

"Professors do have a really short time to grade exams, but I don't think the graduate students believe changing finals is the best idea," Williams said. "Many of us travel out of town or have social obligations on the weekend. A Friday is not equivalent to a Thursday. It's not an adequate Reading Day."