FSU to Increase Number of Friday Morning Classes

The Frostburg State University College of Business is planning to increase the number of Friday morning classes by 10 percent for the Fall 2013 semester to help stop Thursday night drinking. According to the Cumberland Times-News article that reported this, other colleges have done this and had positive results. But most FSU students seem to disagree with this initiative.

Senior Jessica Mensah stated, "I think people will go out regardless of having a morning class on Friday. The only way to lower drinking is maybe to close the bars on Thursdays...But I don't even think that will work."

Senior Felicia Muse also does not believe that this increase in Friday morning classes will lower drinking rates on "Thirsty Thursdays." She said, "It wouldn't stop me really, because if I want to go out I'll go out, no matter if I have a class on Friday or not. And I don't think it will lower the amount of people going out. It's a good idea to try, but overall it's probably just a waste." She also mentioned that this plan may just increase the number of hungover students in class or students that skip class frequently on Fridays.

I too do not believe that this plan will have its intended effect on students' drinking. Like Felicia said, students that really want to go out will go out, regardless of their schedule. I believe that if anything, students may just begin drinking earlier in an effort to go to sleep at an earlier time to make it to class in the morning. I also do not believe it is fair that the school seems to be trying to almost force students to take Friday morning classes. Some students don't drink and simply prefer to have Fridays off. Many students try to take more once-a-week night classes and more Tuesday/Thursday classes just to have a shorter school week, regardless of how much they drink. I think that if students want a three day weekend every week, they should have the right to be able to do so. Of course, every student will not end up with an early morning class on Fridays based on a 10 percent increase in the classes offered, but if FSU continues to increase the number of Friday morning classes in an effort to curb Thursday night drinking, it is possible that in the future Friday morning classes will become inescapable. Only time will tell if this initiative works and if Frostburg decides to continue on with this in coming years.