Duke Tries to Aid Sleep-Deprived Students (Cancels 8am classes)

AP ^ | Apr 18, 2004 | AP

[jern]

DURHAM, N.C. - Duke University is eliminating 8 a.m. classes and trying to come up with other ways help its sleep-deprived students, who too often are struggling to survive on a mix of caffeine, adrenaline and

The school is also considering new orientation programs this fall that would help freshmen understand the importance of sleep.

"Generally, the people I know, we don't see sleep as that important compared to what school and the curriculum have to offer," said Marcel Yang, a Duke freshman from Chapel Hill.

Lack of sleep among college students is an old problem, but one that appears to be getting worse, according to some national surveys.

College students sleep an average of six to seven hours a night, down from seven to seven and a half in the 1980s. Last month, the University of Michigan held a national conference on sleep, stress, depression and college students. Sleep deprivation can hurt academic performance and increase stress levels.

James Clack, Duke's director of counseling and psychological services, said the latest research shows that college-age people should be getting nine hours of sleep a night.

"They begin to get into a pattern of sleeping four to five hours," he said. "They really think it doesn't bother them, but that really isn't the case."

Duke wants students to consider adequate sleep a part of overall wellness. One idea is to do individual health assessments for each student and set goals for good nutrition, exercise and plenty of shuteye.

"They're coming in to see us, and they're ragged," said Ryan Lombardi, assistant dean of students. "We get e-mails and calls in the middle of the night at ungodly hours."

Those schedules have even affected Duke's class times. Students have shunned 8 a.m. classes to the point that many departments stopped offering them. When campus planners looked over the schedule, they realized that, over the years, most classes had been squeezed into the hours between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m.

"That suits many students just fine," said Judith Ruderman, vice provost. "But we couldn't exist like that."

Duke was running out of classroom space, and students were beginning to complain about the availability of courses. So administrators worked out a new schedule for the fall, spreading classes more evenly throughout the day and week.

The result: no more 8 a.m. classes, but plenty starting at 8:30 a.m. That will still be a shock to some students who have never had classes before 9.

"We're going to have a lot of grumbling next fall when the reality sets in," Ruderman said. "But you know what? They're resourceful and they'll manage."

Ruderman's advice to her sleepwalking students? Take an afternoon nap.

[SpyGuy]

Lack of sleep among college students is an old problem, but one that appears to be getting worse

Gee, why is that? Is more work expected of today's students? No. Are earlier classes expected? No. Are later classes expected? No. Are students partying more and consuming more alcohol and drugs? BINGO!

[radiohead]

When I was an undergrad, I knew a fellow who picked Latin as his 2 yr required language. 8 am classes, 5 days a week for 2 years!!! Probably not the laid-back college experience he was expecting.

[jocon307]

"Take an afternoon nap."

My 18 year old does this every chance she gets. She can actually take a nap and wake up, I can't do that anymore, once I'm asleep I'm down for the night.

[The Grammarian]

Gee, why is that? Is more work expected of today's students? No. Are earlier classes expected? No. Are later classes expected? No. Are students partying more and consuming more alcohol and drugs? BINGO!

And then there are those of us who don't party or do drugs, or even drink alcohol, and are simply night owls. Too many people are up at all hours of the night playing video games and other things like that.

[Van Helsing_Liberal Slayer]

Sheesh. I had more than a few 8AM classes back in my College days.

[kcar]

Poor, poor babes. Daddy said that University life would be really, really hard, not just all painted blue and white faces at the Final Four, but, 8:00 A.M classes!... The inhumanity! That timezone isn't even recognized in proper New Jersey clocks!!!

[litany_of_lies]

What will the little darlings do when they get real jobs that require them to be in the car, on the bus, or on the train at 6:30-7 in the real world? Call a timeout?

My daughter gets on a bus at 6:15 to get to her 8:00 class. She survives. All these spoiled private-college babies have to do is roll out of bed at 7:40, throw on a T-shirt and walk a few blocks.

My well of sympathy is dry.

[FreedomPoster]

8AM engineering calculus at Georgia Tech, the first quarter of my freshman year. One of my few Bs in my college career, but I don't blame it on the time. It was just a flat out b#$&*.

[lizma]

What a bunch of wimps!

I had a 7:00 a.m. Physiology class. All you have to do is sleep in your clothes the night before and run like heck to get to class. Problem solved. Didn't even need coffee back then.

Heaven forbid students should have to have some self-disipline concerning their bedtimes. That just won't do these days. Poooooor babies.

[Koblenz]

This shall prepare the students for the workforce.

[Lord Basil]

I had a few 8 AM classes, even an occasional 7 AM class. It was annoying, but we joked about it and got on with our lives.

[litany_of_lies]

Duke for 2003-2004 (from US News College site-subscription required):

Tuition and fees: $29,345
Room/board: $8,210
Books and supplies: $910
Transportation: $398
Personal expenses: $1,615

Total published cost of attendance: $40,478

You'd think for 40 grand that Dad, Mom, and/or the governement is paying they wouldn't mind getting up to make 8am classes.

BTW, ya think Coach K will honor player requests not to have early-am basketball practices?

I'm beginning to understand why those at other NC schools don't like this place.

[litany_of_lies]

You inadvertently didn't post the last word of the first sentence, which should read:

Duke University is eliminating 8 a.m. classes and trying to come up with other ways help its sleep-deprived students, who too often are struggling to survive on a mix of caffeine, adrenaline and ambition.

Just what is it about AMBITION that makes it DIFFICULT to make an 8AM class?

Perhaps your omission was intentional?

[AntiGuv]

My freshman year in college I signed up for an 8AM course and was headed way into the depths of F territory when I dropped the course. I never signed up for another course earlier than 10AM again....

[1L]

8 am classes, 5 days a week for 2 years!!!

I took Latin as my undergraduate language, except I had a better idea: intensive Latin. Entire summer session, for what was scheduled 4 hours a day, 8-12 (mornings), all 5 days of the week for 10 weeks.

What ended up happening was that the prof was very laid back. He was good, just a bit laid back.

The first thing that happened was that after a couple of weeks, he announced there would be few Friday classes. He had to leave town most weekends, and needed an early start. The class took morning breaks after an hour and a half or so. The breaks lasted at least 45 minutes.

Around the third week, we noticed class wasn't starting until about 8:30 - 8:45. About 9:45 or so, we took a break, and started back at maybe 10:30. Then we knocked it off by 11:30 easy. Second session (the second 5 weeks) was even less rigid.

The tests were reasonably hard, and you did have to put in some work. But I estimate I spent about 150-175 hours total time, including class time and studying, for a class that was clocked at 210 classroom hours. I got 14 credit hours for that. Did I learn much Latin? No, but who learns a language in undergrad just taking the required sequence? Incidentally, I also picked up 3 hours of English at another school!

[Colonel_Flagg]

When I was in high school, my Spanish class started at 7:30 a.m. I had a hard time thinking in English at that hour, but I managed. :)

[Tanniker Smith]

Aint gonna help. I'm a NYC high school teacher. The students have schedules that run periods 1-8, 2-9 or 3-10. First period starts at 7:50am. I think there are more people showing up on time for that class than there are showing up on time to start period 2.

Start classes at 10am, they'll stay up to 3am.

TS

[Rummyfan]

Yeah, in the Skiles classroom building? My second quarter freshman year it was chemistry in Lyman Hall at 8. Cold winter mornings in Atlanta that year!