UNC should discontinue penalties for undergraduates who need more than eight semesters to finish a degree.
The University may have gained prestige with its high four-year graduation rate — but perhaps at some cost to students’ well-being.
Penalties for late graduation include a mandatory drop of additional majors or minors, and some may also be subjected to a 50 percent tuition surcharge.
Combined with the recently established 10-day drop period, it has become more difficult for students to be able to explore their options before deciding on a combination of majors and minors.
Students are simultaneously expected to complete labs, internships and jobs.
With mental illness on the rise on college campuses, students’ conditions may be exacerbated or even caused by the pressure of a ticking clock. While students who appeal for an additional semester may receive deference for extenuating circumstances, such as health-related matters, the academic sanctions still apply.
Students from disadvantaged backgrounds are most affected by these policies, as their high schools often offer fewer AP and IB courses, meaning they have a smaller margin of error in choosing a major, especially in STEM fields.
UNC should expect much of its students, but it should not punish them for taking care of themselves when there is little apparent marginal cost associated with doing otherwise.
