With class registration almost completed, many students have been frustrated by the classes in the same department overlapping or only being offered at inconvenient times. For example, some classes are offered at non-standard times such as 11-12:30 and others are during the Assembly Series time on Wednesdays. This creates scheduling conflicts and not only leaves students blocked out from courses they want, but forced to take other courses than the ones they may need.
There are a number of reasons professors should change course times in the future, and few reasons to maintain the status quo. Course time selections are a professor-driven process. Senior members in each department pick first, but for the most part the other faculty have the freedom to teach when they choose, and do not consider other departments when making decisions.
Professors should keep student interests in mind when picking times to teach courses. Many students would be very happy to not have classes on Friday, there is no reason not to offer more Monday-Wednesday 90 minute classes instead of three 60 minute classes per week. Additionally, students would prefer not to have lone classes and late afternoon classes on Fridays, which tend to stick out and become a burden.
Student workload should be another factor. For example, many humanities and social science classes involve large amounts of reading. If a student has to take multiple courses on the same days it would be difficult to keep up with the classes. As it stands now, Arts and Sciences has ten pages of Tuesday-Thursday course listings for next semester to Monday-Wednesday-Friday’s four pages. As a professor it seems logical that you would prefer to have motivated students who are prepared for class; ensuring a more even balance of Monday-Wednesday-Friday and Tuesday-Thursday courses should be an easy call.
Certainly, having classes at a different time so students can sleep in or go out the night before or have the afternoon off is not a serious reason to adjust classes. Similarly, a professor’s personal life should also not be the determinant of scheduling either.
Washington University is a school that is proud of stellar academics, great professors and diverse course offerings. Unfortunately, if students can’t take these courses, or are forced into them, none of that will matter.