So this is it. My 20th and last exec report in the Iron Warrior. Well then, let’s get to it.
Hey Everyone!! The term’s coming to an end, and soon we will be writing exams trying to prove that we actually learned something in the past 3 months.
If you read my report last issue, you’d know that there are talks of implementing a 2-day break in the fall term. You’d also know that we released a survey to see what you guys think of this idea. Well, I’m here to tell you about the results of the survey.
First of all, I want to say thank you to everyone who filled out the survey. We got over 2000 responses!! TWO THOUSAND!! We had a good distribution over the disciplines and the graduating year of the students who responded, so I’d say it’s a pretty good sample.
The majority of the students think a break would be a good idea, with 66% of the responses saying that they would like a reading week, and 65% – 75% said that a fall break would help them academically, and improve their mental health. Also, 65% of you said that a fall break would help the first year students.
“Great!! The students want it!! Let’s get to it!!” – Well it’s not that simple, imaginary student I created just to make point, for two major reasons.
If you read/filled out the survey, you’d remember a question stating that those two days have to be rescheduled to somewhere else in the term. Otherwise we might not meet the accreditation requirements, and the professors will not have enough time to complete what they have to teach. So we asked you where would you reschedule those two days. The top three answers were starting O-week two days earlier (32%), at the end of the term pushing back the start of exams (22%), and eliminating two days from O-week. The first two options are tough to implement (think about ending exams on the 24th of December), leaving us with shortening O-week as the most viable solution. Funnily enough, a lot of you commented NOT to shorten Frosh Week. So we definitely don’t have consensus there.
The second reason came from the comments. The one thing that stood out is how much first years were in it for the idea because of the amount of schoolwork they have. I don’t know about you, but taking two days off in the middle of the term may not solve the problem. One of the comments called it “a Band-Aid solution to much bigger problem”, and I’m inclined to agree with that comment. Perhaps the solution is not simply giving the students a break in the middle of the term. Maybe we need to review how students are being treated here, especially in first year.
So what are we going to do next? Well, we’re presenting the results to the Dean and see what comments she has. But more importantly, we want to push forward with another survey and ask a bigger, more important question; how can we improve students’ mental health?
Well that’s all I have. It’s been a pleasure representing you guys for the last 32 months. Honestly, it’ll be a huge relief. But I have a feeling that after the sense of relief I’ll start missing it like crazy.
Allyson Francis and her executive will be your exec for the next 16 months. I am very excited to see what they will do.
Thank you.
Yasser.
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