Thursday, January 15, 2009

Testing Center Late Fees

It's midterms. You have five tests in one week, plus classes, work, all your other studying, and numerous other obligations. You wonder when you will have time to simply take all of these exams, much less when you will have time to study for them. You look in your planner and finally decide that you have no other option but to pay a few late fees. Testing Center late fees take advantage of a busy students life. They foster procrastination and long lines. The Testing Center should no longer have late fees because doing so hurts takes advantage of students both academically and financially.

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Late fees encourage students to take their tests early in the testing period for that class and are actually a blessing for those that procrastinate because otherwise that test would have already closed.

Anu O'Neill said...

Although I hate paying late fees, I would have to agree with Kyle on this one. I feel as if the late days are for students who work or have other prior arrangements and need the extra days (even if there is a fee) in order to have time to take the test. Without the late days the students may be unable to find time for the test in their schedule and would then be worse off than if they had only to pay a small fee.

Scott said...

I too agree with the above comments. Although the late fees may seem like just an extra way to squeeze the money out of students, they really just offer incentives for studying early and getting the tests done on time. And to be honest, $5 isn't really that much. I have to that the policy is pretty fair.

Aaron said...

Late fees suck defnintly, but they do need to put a cap on students to make sure that students get there test done.

Cara said...

I think you have a good topic. As long as you address some of these counter arguments, it should be good. I think the worst part of late fees is how expensive they are. Maybe instead of removing late fees, you could advocate for lowering the prices so they are not as overwhelming?

Kathy Cowley said...

Your peers raised some good counterarguments that you'll have to address. You may also want to think about who is responsible for this--professor's can choose, for example, not to have later fees. I think it's an important claim that you're making--how policies might foster bad habits, like procrastination, and that may be something you want to think about in other areas of the university--for example, teachers giving assignments that are conducive to teaching. However, make sure you maintain focus.

Another important counterargument-- I've heard that testing center costs are covered entirely by late fees. If late days are taken away, how will this cost be covered? Should we raise tuition for everyone?