More UI students taking Friday classes

Between 70 percent and 80 percent of undergraduate students at the University of Iowa take at least one Friday class, a number that has grown significantly since the University began pushing for more Friday classes in 2008.

"I think it's easy to look at the aggregate data and conclude that classes aren't happening on Friday because there are fewer classes taught on Friday, but it's mostly because we don't teach classes late in the afternoon and on Friday evening," said Beth Ingram, Associate Provost for Undergraduate Education.

Friday morning class loads compare to that of Wednesday and Monday mornings, Ingram said.

"(Friday's are) a little big lower, but it's not significantly lower," she said.

Next semester, the University will begin offering more classroom space to professors interested in offering Friday courses.  The change would mean some classes would shift from a Monday/Wednesday/Friday schedule to a longer Wednesday/Friday schedule.

"By the end of the week you're just tired and ready to be done with class," said UI Senior Tessa Quintero, who said she's become accustomed to taking Friday classes.

Most students have now accepted that the University of Iowa holds many classes on Friday, Ingram said.  That's a change from a reputation the school had a few years ago, when city and university leaders became concerned with binge drinking on Thursday nights and made an effort to increase Friday courses.