Reading Days

[momof2015]

<p>Hello, all!</p>

<p>My daughter is a sophomore at Fordham. Twice now she has had a professor give out a time-consuming assignment on the last day of class, or first day of reading days (via an email from the Prof). According the handbook, reading days are strictly for finals studying.</p>

<p>[Undergraduate</a> Faculty Handbook - Fordham University](<a href=“http://www.fordham.edu/academics/handbooks__publicati/undergraduate_facult/]Undergraduate”>http://www.fordham.edu/academics/handbooks__publicati/undergraduate_facult/)</p>

<p>

Reading days are listed in the Colleges’ academic calendars for FCRH, FCLC and GSB (day). They are usually the two days followingthe last day of classes. Mandatory classes are not allowed during this time, but optional review sessions may be scheduled.</p>

<p>The purpose of these days is to give the student the opportunity for independent and more concentrated study prior to the examination period. The reading days, like the final examination days, are part of a state-mandated fifteen-week semester. It is understood that the readings done during this period are part of the student’s regular course work, and under no circumstances are additional assignments to be given for these days. It is expected that faculty involved in teaching increase their presence on the campus during this period and be more accessible to their students by offering additional office hours.

</p>

<p>Why are these professors disregarding the handbook and giving out assignments to be done during finals week? It seems unfair. If anyone has any insight to this, I’d appreciate hearing it.</p>

[molly12]

<p>I don’t know, but my son is a sophomore also and he had a mandatory class yesterday (not a review session), so I don’t think the handbook provisions are strictly adhered to.</p>

[anglegrinderman]

<p>I also had a mandatory class yesterday and assignments due on both reading days. The staff’s precedent of eliminating the reading days last semester is, I think, partially responsible. But in both courses for which I had such late assignments or readings, the syllabus’s schedule had been pushed back because the professor missed classes (either for family reasons or to attend conferences) and failed to get a TA or other professor to lead the lecture or discussion. Professors’ aversion to having someone else teach missed classes isn’t ideal for students, who end up not learning some material (i.e. something is cut from the syllabus), have to self-teach, or end up losing time somewhere else (if the professor decides to have a makeup class at an attendance-mandatory school like Fordham).</p>

[spirit77]

<p>I had a similar experience this semester. After finals I plan to mention this to my dean in the (vague) hope that going forward Fordham will encourage the professors to honor the reading days as we prepare for finals.</p>

[momof2015]

<p>Thanks for the responses! </p>

<p>I guess the policy just isn’t adhered to. It does seem a bit ridiculous to be getting assignments after or on the last official day of classes. I had 2 other kids go through college and neither of them ever encountered this at their universities. I’d fire off an email about it, but my daughter says NO quite emphatically. :)</p>