Survey Says Students Favor Reading Days

The next step to institute reading days at Utah State University lies in the hands of the Faculty Senate, and students around campus have appeared to voice a strong vote of support for the study days prior to finals week.

Two surveys were recently conducted to gauge student opinion on the need for reading days. A survey attached to the Associated Students of USU final election ballots asked students if they would support the action.

Seventy percent of the 3,593 students who answered the question on the ballot voted in favor of having at least one reading day, with 46 percent supporting two or more reading days.

In a random survey given to 461 students in various classes around campus, somewhere between 61 percent and 70 percent of respondents said they would favor reading days. ASUSU Extension Vice President Kelly Mendenhall said Associate Director of Computing Services Bob Bayn designed the means for conducting a random survey.

"I would definitely use [reading days]," said Richard Datwyler, a senior studying physics and math. "Most people are lazy. I would say some people would [use them] but probably not all."

One of the major complaints voiced against creating the extra study time for students is that it won't be used for its intended purpose. Another possible downfall is that the school year may start earlier to compensate for lost lecture days.

"I'd rather get out of here sooner," said Austin Warr, a freshman landscape architecture major.

Kristen Arzani, a sophomore studying public relations, said she'd welcome the study time, but it really depends on how many tests someone has and when the tests are scheduled.

"I think if you have a day or two, it'd be all right. It'd be nice to take that time to study," Arzani said. "My biggest fear is that people wouldn't take that time to study."

Kathryn Turner, professor in the math department, said students are in the best position to judge whether reading days are beneficial to them but must understand extending the length of the school year would be a tradeoff for having them.

"My personal experience is that the students are in starting blocks to get out of here at the end of the semester," she said.

English professor Ronald Shook said he is against instituting reading days. They would not be of much benefit to students in his class, he added.

"My classes do projects rather than final examinations," he said. "It would be a couple of more days for them to work on their projects."

Shook said the extra days would not be of any benefit to him as a professor to catch up on grading and other work for the class.

Whether reading days are a good idea should be discovered through trial and error, said independent study student Martine Celestin.

"Give it a try. Everything deserves at least one try, and if it really sucks, then we can go back to being regular," Celestin said. "I like reading days because you have days just for reading. Every other campus has them and they have good grades."

Celestin said being an independent study student requires a lot of reading anyway, and the extra study time would be useful for her and other students.

"We start school so early anyway, it doesn't really matter if we start a day or two earlier," she said.

If reading days eventually pass, whether to start school earlier or extend it later to make up for lost lecture days will be decided.

Natalie Nash, a freshman studying elementary education, said she'd prefer to start school earlier in the fall instead of going later in the spring.

"I think it's a good idea just for extra studying time," Nash said. "I wouldn't like the idea of school getting out later."

Online survey results:

Would you support having reading days at USU?

Supported reading days: 70%
Supported one reading day: 29%
Did not support reading days: 29%
3,593 students voted

How many hours did you spend studying for all your final exams last semester?

Studied 11 hours or more: 71%
Studied 16 hours or more: 52%
Studied 31 hours or more: 31%
3,598 students voted

How would you rate the current available time to prepare for final exams?

Below what is needed: 44%
Above what is needed: 6%
Adequate: 48%
3,590 students voted

By Tyler Riggs; str@cc.usu.edu