Serendipity35

Many U.S. college campuses operate on 4-day weeks during the summer. At NJIT, they lengthened the 4 work days. At PCCC, employees take half-hour lunches and need to make up 45 hours during the year in work outside their assigned workday. It saves on energy costs to be able to shut down for the longer weekend - not only air-conditioning, computers and lighting but the gasoline for the employees not commuting to campus.The $4 a gallon gas prices this summer brought it back into the media.

I read an article on eCampus Today that K-12 schools also looking longer days and shorter weeks. All these K-20 campuses are looking at what is already being done in the business world in longer days, flex scheduling and shortened weeks.

According to the article, some school systems in Minnesota, Kentucky, New Mexico, Nevada, and Utah have eliminated Fridays.

All of us in higher ed know that it's often tough to fill Friday classes. Of course, these aren't energy-conscious students, just kids who want a longer weekend. In contrast, a growing number of our PCCC students are requesting early morning (7:30 AM, for example) classes to fit their part-time school, full-time job schedules.

There are plenty of research studies that have been done on the benefits of the 4-day week (see summary here) including government research studies. It's a story that the media likes to cover. Unfortunately, I think that might be because it catches the attention to those who had to go to school five days a week, and for all those who already believe schools are not doing a good job, and students and teachers have it too easy.