Students may have become accustomed, some as far back as grade school, to receiving a planner and help develop the habit of writing down assignments. Until last year, Pitt-Johnstown students also received planners at the year’s outset but, this year, that service was discontinued.
Student Conduct Officer Todd Shaffer said distributed planners were not this year because administrators wanted to save money to use for the other efforts, including a sexual- assault prevention program.
“This year, (fewer) than 40 students actually asked us about getting a planner.
“We figured that most students would use their smartphones to keep track of assignments. The planners were mostly a way to give students a copy of the student Code of Conduct, which is now accessible online.”
At least one student, sophomore Nick DiGirogio, said he would not use his phone to keep track of assignments.
“I write all of my assignments down, I never use my phone for that. I only use my phone for Facebook, texting, and Clash of Clans.”
Freshman Danielle Kurto also said she prefers to keep track of assignments in writing.
They can still be purchased for about $5 at the book store.
“I prefer using an assignment book.”
Kurto said she had purchased a planner, but not at the bookstore.
There can be many other distractions on a cell phone that can cause a person to get sidetracked from going to type an assignment into their notes or calendar: a message, a call, or an email.
With a planner, a notebook, or even just a piece of paper, there are fewer opportunities to stray away from writing it down.
Every person has a preference of how to keep track of assignments; some methods will be more effective for a person than others.
Not only have free planners been cut but next year, professors may no longer receive desk calendars and may not receive grade books, either.
Art history professor Valerie Grash of the Humanities Division said she had heard of desk calendar cuts.
“Professors got desk calendars this year, but I know that next year, we no longer will. However, I’m not sure about the grade books being cut too.”