Wednesday, Sept. 5, marked the first day of classes for the fall semester. As usual, I hardly needed any of the things I spent the previous few days collecting for them; I spent at least a portion of all my first classes listening to my professor read aloud from the class syllabus.

I like knowing from the first day what the workload will be for a particular course, and being trusted by my professors to budget my own time accordingly. However, professors’ practice of spending at least part of the first class reciting information that I have right in front of me counteracts the trust that the syllabus itself supposedly signifies. If my professors cannot trust me to read and understand the document that explains what I need to do to pass the course, then I cannot imagine they would trust me to complete the actual assignments listed on the document.

I do appreciate the time and effort it requires for professors to put together a syllabus that is comprehensive while ensuring that it is understandable to both myself and my classmates. However, I would have an even greater appreciation for the trust it would symbolize, as well as for the time it would save, if my professors would trust me to read the syllabi on my own and then ask them questions I might have.

This is being posted here with the hope that professors will re-consider how they spend the first day of every semester. Please read this, professors. Do not make me come and read it to you.

– Jared Sugarmen is a sophomore journalism major.