After the ice storm forced IU Southeast to close for four days the Academic Policies Committee discussed the idea of extending the school year to make up the missed days.

To their credit, it seems they have decided not to.

I understand the rationale for considering it. Fewer days in the classroom make it harder to cover all course material. The university has a responsibility to teach courses fully to maintain the credibility of the university and the degrees it awards, and to make sure students get their money’s worth.

But extending the school year has its downsides.

Students depend on knowing when their classes will end to set up summer jobs, internships or vacations. This is especially true for graduating seniors.

Furthermore, it is largely unneccessary. Most classes will have ample opportunity to make up for lost time. How often do we sit through test reviews where professors read the tests to us?

The cons outweigh the pros in this decision, and the Academic Policies Committee made the right call.

By ZACH HESTER
Editor
zwhester@ius.edu