Exam period

Editorial: Ivies Weekend

Bowdoin's geography makes the end of April an extraordinary time for the campus and its students. While many other campuses around the country have settled comfortably into the new season, Bowdoin students are only now beginning to shed their winter coats for T-shirts and their boots and sneakers for sandals and flip-flops.
As it often does, the advent of warm weather this year coincides with the arrival of Ivies Weekend, Bowdoin's annual end-of-April catharsis. The enthusiasm that results from this confluence of events has been palpable all week, and will culminate this weekend as students enjoy a well-deserved vacation from the pressures of academia to celebrate the real beginning of spring.
Traditionally, Ivies weekend has been fueled by a spirit of indulgence specifically with regard to the consumption of alcohol. As a result, Security has once again stepped up its presence this weekend. While students might feel instinctively bothered by this increased presence, they should not be. While they remain committed to maintaining order on campus, Security does not have any interest in spoiling the festivities for students. In recent years, under the direction of Randy Nichols, Security has taken a mature, accommodating approach to Ivies Weekend, prioritizing preserving safety over taking the opportunity to slap students with frivolous citations.

Editorial: Phase II registration

For students already wounded by not getting into their top-choice classes, yesterday?s Phase II registration served them a healthy portion of salt. The inefficiencies of Phase II registration become immediately evident upon taking one?s place at the back of the line snaking through Moulton Union beginning at sunrise.

Editorial

This piece represents the opinion of The Bowdoin Orient editorial board.

April 25, 2008

Though there may be a nearly campus-wide hiatus from studying this weekend, we all know what is looming on the other side: the infamous "final stretch." But unfortunately for many students, the last week of scheduled classes is more of a "finals" stretch. Because many professors schedule exams before the end of classes, their students must compensate by shoving in an extra reading period before reading period has even begun. Students are unable to dedicate the appropriate energy toward studying for a final exam when it's heaped on top of term papers, problem sets, and regularly scheduled class.

Professors may intend to hand out exams during a scheduled class as a favor?enabling students to relax during reading period and head home early for summer. But they may not realize that early bluebooks may add undue stress in a student's busy schedule. While it's nice to have the time to enjoy mid-May in Maine and flip through a magazine come reading period, such a leisurely end of the semester may be better spent studying. As it was intended, reading period gives students ample time to truly absorb and understand class material before a final examination.

We hope that the professors who do choose to pass out final exams prematurely do so with only their students' interest in mind. While professors might prefer to administer exams earlier to increase the time they have to score them before final grades are due, they should be sensitive to the fact that by reducing their own stress they might be increasing that of their students.

The editorial represents the majority view of The Bowdoin Orient?s editorial board, which comprises Steve Kolowich, Anne Riley, Nick Day, Adam Kommel, Mary Helen Miller, and Cati Mitchell.

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