Pleasure reading, or reading outside of the classroom, is no longer a pastime for many students across the nation and at the University. According to a study by the National Endowment for the Arts done this past winter, voluntary reading and test scores are on a sharp decline. “The whole purpose of a college education is to learn new ideas, and reading outside the classroom really helps that,” said Jordan Soyka, teaching assistant for the English Department. “It is all about time management. And if students do not have time to do that, it is really going to hinder them.” The study, “To Read or Not to Read: A Question of National Consequence,” compiled statistics from more than 40 studies on reading patterns and comprehension of various age groups. Based on the study, the average American age 15 to 24 spends only seven minutes pleasure reading a day. Reading scores for adults in college or preparing to enter college have lowered considerably. The percentage of teenage non-readers has doubled in the past 20 years. “This study shows startling declines, in how much and how well Americans read, that are adversely affecting this country’s culture, economy, and civic life as well as our children’s educational achievement,” said Dana Gioia, NEA Chairman. Students at the University are having trouble finding time to read for pleasure because of assignments and other school-related work. “I don’t have time for pleasure reading unless I decide not to read the textbooks,” said Abraham Felix, mass communication sophomore. Although many students want to read, their classes and schedules do not permit them. “I like to read magazines and novels, but I have to wait until the summer to do it because of the extent of my school workload,” said Kristen Averill, sociology senior.
—-Contact Gina Zanutto at [email protected]