A new scheduling procedure for the spring semester will release final exam schedules earlier and make them more accessible for students.

The new system will inform students of the final exam schedule during the fourth week of the semester, instead of the eighth week.

Students will also be able to view their personal exam schedules on eLion, said Garry Burkle, senior associate registrar.

"The new process is very proactive, where the old one was reactive," Jim Wager, assistant vice provost for enrollment management, said.

Under the old system, students viewed their schedules by checking each class' scheduled exam period to determine if they had a conflict.

A simulation for the new scheduling system estimated the present 1,200 scheduling conflicts per semester would be reduced to 100 conflicts, Burkle said.

A final exam conflict is defined as a direct conflict, where a student has two exams scheduled for the same time, or an overload, where a student either has three exams in one day or three consecutive exams, even if they are scheduled over two days.

An example of a two-day overload would be back-to-back exams in the final two time slots of one day and another exam first thing the next morning.

Considering the expected stresses of preparing for final exams, several students view rescheduling due to conflicts as an extra, unnecessary hassle.

"It's a handful if you have a conflict," Steve Makovitch (freshman-premedicine) said.

"It is just something extra you have to deal with."

Burkle estimates that there will be no direct conflicts under the new system.

While under the old process, students had to contact the registrar, the new procedure will have the registrar notify the students of their conflicts through an e-mail message, Burkle said.

Burkle said students with travel plans that coincide with their finals cannot reschedule their exams.

"The university clearly states that students and faculty should make no plans to leave until they review their exam schedule," Burkle said.

Some organizations made adjustments to their set traveling plans to accommodate the final exam schedules of students.

The Penn State Alumni Association Washington, D.C., chapter pushed back bus departure times to accommodate the large number of students taking the Chemistry 12 (Chemical Principles) exam starting at 6:50 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 19, the last time slot for exams.

Early and easily accessible schedules will allow students more time to resolve conflicts, Burkle said, but some students are skeptical.

"It's definitely a better idea, but it doesn't seem realistic," Rachel Smith (junior-sociology) said.

Smith added that she doesn't see how the reduction in conflicts could be possible.

Burkle said the registrar has been working hard on the change and a key to success will be starting the process months ahead of time.

"The issue of auto-made final exams have been discussed in this office for over 10 years," Burkle said. "We are committed."