In the future there might be more time for students to study for finals.
On Tuesday, the Minnesota Student Association passed a resolution to lobby the University administration and the Board of Regents to allow two weekdays off school before the start of finals.
If administration approves this idea, it will take two years to go into effect, said Emma Olson, an MSA at-large representative. University officials typically plan calendar schedules well over a year in advance.
There has been no decision on when administration will hear the idea.
According to the resolution, rising tuition costs are forcing students to work more hours and allowing them less time to study.
Olson said having more study time would be useful to students who work while in school.
“It’s very important for these students to do well because sometimes these finals are worth 40 percent of their grades,” she said.
Lewis Flanagan understands the money trouble associated with school. He took a two-and-a-half year break from school to pay for accumulated debt.
During his first stint at the University, the theater junior took part in the Guthrie Theater BFA Actor Training Program, which required him to attend classes from 1 p.m. until 11 p.m. during the week.
Aside from the program, he also spent his mornings fulfilling College of Liberal Arts requirements.
“When do you work?” he asked. “When do you study?”
The resolution was passed by a majority vote, with roughly 10 out of 30 students opposing the idea.
Nathan Wanderman, student representative to the Board of Regents, is one MSA member who disapproved.
He said the issues he’s heard from students about finals aren’t about not having enough time to study but about the tests taking up too much of their breaks.
“I’ve heard way more people complain that their finals are pushing into their winter or summer breaks,” he said.
Julia Perkins, a family social science sophomore, said she finds time to juggle school and a job.
She said her finals seem to pile on top of each other, with no time to study in between.
Perkins also said if she had two more days, she wouldn’t even use it for studying.
“I’d probably go out instead of study,” she said. “But it might be nice to relax.”
Even though the idea mainly supports students who work, sophomore Kendra Ristow said even though she doesn’t have a job, it would be easy to find time to study if she did.
“I feel that I actually have a lot of free time that I don’t use for studying that I could use for a job,” she said.
Election committee approved
MSA also approved members of the All-Campus Election Committee on Tuesday.
If the Graduate and Professional Student Assembly also approves the candidates when it votes on Jan. 31, Chao Yang, Jacques Maxwell, Joe Foley and Eric Butz will become the committee members.