Since the University adjusted class schedules for Monday, Wednesday and Friday classes in the spring, students have tried to configure their schedules for a shorter school week.
Students who have elected to take Monday, Wednesday classes and exclude Friday from their schedule said the reformatted schedule allowed them more freedom for their weekends with work and out-of-school activities.  
“It worked out perfect; I was able to schedule my classes to have Friday off,” Colby Robichaux, business senior from Thibodaux, said.  “I’m not looking forward to longer classes, but it’s worth it to have Friday off.”  
The schedule change, which is effective in January, allows for more 80-minute classes instead of the traditional 55-minute format with all Monday and Wednesday classes.  
Some departments are taking the opportunity to transition to only Monday and Wednesday classes, while others are sticking with the traditional Monday, Wednesday and Friday schedule.  
For some departments, the transition to the modified schedule works better for the curriculum of certain classes.  
 “It works to our benefit as a better structure, because it runs longer for writing students and the study of literature,” Ellen Barker, Department of Languages and Literature chair, said.  “It is a better format for discussions and teaching writing; it works out better in the end.”  
The English department has implemented the Monday, Wednesday class schedule into writing and literature classes such as English Composition I and II and Poetry and Drama.  The department offers 24 Monday, Wednesday classes and 22 Monday, Wednesday, Friday classes.  
The history department will offer eight Monday, Wednesday classes, and four Monday, Wednesday, Friday classes.  The other classes offered by the department are a combination of Tuesday, Thursday and single-day classes.  
Paul Wilson, history department head, said, “We will have to see how it works out, we do not know if students will want to sit in class that long.”
There are a few departments on campus that decided against Monday, Wednesday classes, such as Allied Health Science, Business Administration, Computer Information Systems, Computer Science, French and Culinary Arts.  
The first semester of the schedule change will offer new insights into the changes and will determine what steps the University should take next.  
Laynie Barrilleaux, vice president for academic affairs, said the schedule change is permanent for the spring semester, but the University will see how the change affects faculty and students.
“We are pretty excited about it and hope everyone else is, too,” Barrilleaux said.  “Higher education is changing all around us, and we need to constantly look for ways to improve access and the class experience for students.”