THE University of York has apologised to its students for scheduling exams on the day of the royal wedding despite the day being a national holiday.
An email has been sent out to the student body announcing that exams have been timetabled on the day Prince William and Kate Middleton marry on April 29.
The university said exams had to be scheduled on the day to avoid students having two exams on one day or clashes.
An email from Kate Dodd, the academic registrar, said: “This additional national holiday was announced after the university calendar was set.
“Where possible we have moved examinations and teaching activities, but the large number of bank holidays in a short period of the first part of next term has made it impossible to avoid scheduling some academic activities on April 29.
“We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause.”
Essential student services such as the library, the examinations office, IT services and catering facilities will remain open, but other non-essential services may not be available.
We asked students what they thought about exams being scheduled on the day of the Royal Wedding
Sally Devine, 24, a sociology and education student, said: “I’m quite anti-royalist. I think the royal wedding is a waste of money when there are a lot of cuts taking place. I think we should have exams on the day. It’s not important.”
Rebecca Fox, 21, an applied social science and criminal justice student, said: “It seems a bit harsh. They are giving a bank holiday to everyone and although students have a reputation for not working, they do work really hard. Will it make that much difference to have a day off when everyone else is?”
Katie McKenna, 21, an English student, said: “ I think having exams on that day is better than having to have a lot of exams on a different day. It’s unlikely young people will care about the royal wedding. Some of my friends are having an ironic street party so I might go to that.”
Katherine Byrne, 20, an English student, said: “Some of my friends are going home specifically to watch it with their families. It’s giving a holiday to some and not for others. A royal wedding only happens once a decade. It’s an institution to be quite proud of so I think it’s a bit unfair.”
Sam Mason, 21, a sociology student, said: “I don’t have any exams that day so I don’t really mind. They said they had to do it so there were not any clashes. I think it’s fair enough – they need to do it. I will watch the royal wedding.”
Students’ clash
WHILE many of us are sitting glued to the box on April 29 watching the royal wedding, some University of York students will be doing something altogether more demanding: sitting their exams.
The exams were scheduled before the royal couple named the day, the university points out – and to change would mean clashes.
Reaction from students has been mixed. “It seems a bit harsh. They are giving a bank holiday to everyone, and although students have a reputation for not working, they do work really hard,” said Rebecca Fox.
Sally Devine, however, was not bothered.
“I think the royal wedding is a waste of money when there are a lot of cuts taking place,” she said.
Ouch. She obviously wasn’t on the guest list.
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