SGB resolution on finals may be difficult to implement

Two weeks after passing a resolution calling for limitations on students’ final exam… Two weeks after passing a resolution calling for limitations on students’ final exam schedules, the Student Government Board is continuing to push for the University to adopt such a policy.

The resolution stated that if a student has three or more final exams in one day, he should be able to fill out a form and have the University help him reschedule one of his tests to another day.

“After the resolution was passed, I and board member [Alexis] Chidi went to see dean [of students Kathy] Humphrey about how to get this implemented as fast as we can,” Nila Devanath, academic affairs committee chairwoman, said. “[Humphrey] said it was a great idea in theory, but we can’t do anything unless it applies to a large amount of students.”

After unsuccessfully attempting to determine the exact number of students who face the possibility of three finals in one day from the University registrar, who told Devanath that the office did not have the technology to determine that figure, she decided to ask the students directly.

“I think we really need to find out if there is a problem,'” Humphrey said. “‘Why is this happening?’ is the question. Is it because these students took 21 [credit] hours?”‘

While Humphrey is continuing to assist SGB with this endeavor, she challenged students facing tough finals week schedules to better prepare themselves.

“These are comprehensive exams, come on now,” Humphrey said. “You’re supposed to be learning this information along the way.”

To determine exactly how many students this policy would affect, SGB is taking a poll on my.pitt.edu that will coincide with the Nov. 8 vote for the new SGB board members and president.

“If this is only affecting 20 students, Dean Humphrey will work to make a smaller program that she can handle herself,” Devanath said. “But if it applies to, say, 200 students, the form that the academic affairs committee has come up with will probably be implemented.”

Associate university registrar Barbara Heron, who was unaware of SGB’s resolution, said that creating a policy to align with it would be a lengthy process.

“It would take a lot of resources and a lot of time to come up with something like that,” Heron said.

Heron is not the only administrator questioning the feasibility of the resolution.

“Dean Humphrey talked to one of the University Senate councils about it, and some of the faculty did have an opposition to the program in its early stages,” Devanath said.

“It may create some hardship for the faculty, but we’re going to try to make it as painless as possible for both sides,” she said. “The University exists for the students, so we are trying to make it as easy as possible for them, but also for the faculty.”

Pitt’s current policy regarding an overload of finals calls for a student with four or more finals in one day to appeal to the dean of his school – “a rather complicated process,” Devanath said.

She called for students in need to support the resolution.

“In order to make this program possible, we really need students to answer that questionnaire on [my.pitt.edu]. We need as much feedback as possible.

“Please go and answer this, because if you have ever had three finals in one day, and I have run into many students who have, we have no other way to know.”

Devanath challenged Pitt’s current policy for final exams.

“The University says that having four finals in one day is too stressful, but three is OK?”