Would you support a longer exam week?

By Erica Andrew | gargoyle@flagler.edu

Most students would instantly reply “no.”

However, our exam week is only three and a half days and compared to other colleges it is extremely short. Flagler’s final exams are also very short compared to the average college.

At the end of March, the Academic Calendar Review Committee is required to report to the Senate Committee. Following the review, the committee will issue surveys to the entire student body in regards to how students feel about lengthening the school year and the lengthening of the final exam week.

With a longer exam week it would “build in more time to study and prepare for exams,” said Dr. Art Vanden Houten, associate professor of political science and chair of the Presidential Senate Committee of Flagler College.

Where Vanden Houten neither supports nor objects to the proposals, he recognizes that the Academic Calendar Review Committee will try to make sure that both professors and students at Flagler are “well served and considered,” Vanden Houten said.

Academic Strategic Plan Proposal 1.13: states that moving to a longer calendar would create “space for longer, more rigorous final exams, as well as more time for students to prepare adequately for individual exams.”

“Personally, I would not want anything extended, the extra time would be nice to take a test, but I think we have enough time and it would just lengthen the amount of time that we would spend at school and most people book their flights out early” said Vinny Calarco, junior at Flagler College.

“Among the faculty there are a variety of different views…there are some that are in favor and some that are opposed, but what we are waiting for is the Academic Review Committee to submit their report,” said Vanden Houten.

Most students will have two exams a day during finals week. With more time, the exams could be spaced out to one a day which would be a stress reliever for students.

Calarco said, “It would definitely be less stressful.” However, he thinks that more professors would make tests comprehensive, which would make testing more difficult.