Benefit the Hardworking Student

Finals mean stress and endless studying along with a healthy serving of agonizing over your grade. But what if some of that pressure and stress could be reduced? There are many students who work hard during the semester and go into the final exam with a good grade.

This means they have a greater chance of hurting their grade than helping it because they need to score their current average or above to maintain or improve their grade.

Why should these hardworking students be stressed and forced to take a long exam that has a higher probability of being detrimental rather than beneficial to their grade?

I propose a change. Why are hardworking students not being rewarded for their superior performance? What incentive is offered for doing consistently well over the course of a semester?

For students in the School of Arts and Sciences, there is hope for a change.

I am proposing to WCGA and RCSGA (in the next few weeks actually), that students who have a 93 or above in a class have their final exam weighted less than the stated percentage.

For example, say Sally has a 94 in her chemistry class and has bust her butt all semester to maintain it.

Why should she not have the pressure of taking her chemistry final alleviated by knowing that instead of her final being worth the usual 25 percent, hers is only worth 15 to 20 percent?

There are professors on campus, particularly in the Business School, who actually exempt students from taking the final if they have an A, so is it really too much to ask for a simple reduction of that percentage?

For those who feel this will not impact you because you are not in the School of Arts and Sciences, or because you do not anticipate getting a 93 in a course, remember there is no downside for you, only the potential to help your fellow students.

Talk to your professors and implant the idea into their heads like inception so that when WCGA and RCSGA propose the idea to the faculty board, they take into consideration the massive student support the topic carries.

And remember, even if you are not in Arts and Sciences, you can still advertise the idea to the professors of your school, as they may be lovely open-minded people who decide to implement the policy for their class or pitch it to their department.

All that I ask is that if you think this is a good idea (which I hope you do since I can see no downside for students or professors as they can still administer the final exam), mention it to your professors and like the Facebook page, "Motion to Reduce Impact of Finals at UR."

The more support the idea has, the more likely professors are to listen and, it is hoped, acquiesce to our request.

On a side note, I encourage you to tell your friends about the Facebook page and idea, but please limit Facebook invites to current Richmond students only. Thank you!