FOUR DAY SCHOOL WEEK SAVES COLLEGE MONEY

By Kelly Rivera
Staff Writer

Before beginning a college career, you remember wishing you didn’t have to go to class on Friday. The end of the week would inevitably come around and you’d think to yourself, ‘I don’t want to go to school, it’s the beginning of my weekend!’ Well, your wishes have come true. Recently, Broward College’s (BC) Board of Trustees unanimously passed a four-day workweek schedule for summer sessions.

This new schedule change is being made in order to help the school save money. “We are trying to attain cost savings in buildings that we close on all three campuses,” Dr. Edna Chun said.

Chun, Vice President for Human Resources & Equity, estimated that the savings to the college is projected to be from $23,000 to $50,000, depending on how many buildings are closed on Friday. BC Chief Financial Officer, Bill Pennell, said that his office would be comparing the utility bills from prior years to determine the cost savings.

Economics Professor Hugo Villegas said he loves the idea of the four-day workweek because it gives people more down time and not keeping students and faculty stuck in a room all week long will encourage them to be happier.

Courtney Grosse, Film/Media Studies major, is opposed to the idea. “I don’t think this should go on, it’s not a good idea, the great thing about college is that you can take classes whenever you want, whenever it’s convenient for you, and changing that just isn’t right.”

The libraries will continue to remain open, as will South Campus’ Aviation School and North Campus’ nursing program. In order to save money and conserve energy, BC will be closing unneeded buildings from Thursday evening through Sunday of each week during the summer session between May 11 and August 15.

During this time, security will be highly enforced to ensure that the buildings are not occupied or vandalized. BC President J. David Armstrong, Jr. also said he plans to have the college turn off air conditioners in the portables when they are not being used to save the school more money and conserve energy. Armstrong also said the maintenance department plans on taking advantage of the closure to do routine repairs while the buildings are unoccupied.

The four-day workweek plan will be beneficial to students by giving them more free time and cutting transportation costs. “There will also be a cost savings for students because they will only have to drive to campus four days a week as opposed to five,” said Armstrong.

Electrical Engineering major Luis Ballester said, “The school's [goal] should always be about what’s in the best interest of the student. The school has to recognize that it still functions thanks to the high attendance of students always enrolling.”

This plan is only in effect during summer sessions. “We could never do this year-round,” Armstrong added. “Our buildings are so over-utilized during the fall and winter terms that it would be impossible.” Armstrong said there is less demand for space in the summer, which is the reason the pilot program is being attempted during that time period.