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Studies and Research. “Night classes are certainly going to grow. Students work, have families and have to pay the rent,” Pilip said. “And with the average age of the graduate student reaching the upper thirties, we’re going to have to meet that demand.” The School of Extended Studies offers many professional development and continuing education courses tailored to fit the needs of workers, especially in the fields of education and business. Kathy Slater is one of those workers. One night a week Spring Term Slater came to campus to take a children’s liter­ ature class to aid her career working with emotionally abused children. “I ’d say 90 percent of our classes are at night,” said Christy Toon, the school’s New Program Development office coordinator. Night classes are different than day classes, some students said. “As a full-time worker, it works out well,” said Chris Achor, who is graduating a Bachelors of Arts in History this term. After years as a full-time student, she enrolled in two night classes Spring Term after going to work full-time in March. “The classes are o.k., but I think they’re too long,” she said. Fitting three credit-hours of instruction in two hours, 40 minutes once a week can be a chore. But some students pre­ fer the learning environment and teaching style in many night classes. “I found out you don’t have to do as much so-called ‘busy’ work as day students,” said Tara Sims, a recent gradu­ ate with a Bachelors of Science in Business Administration- Accounting. “And the students are older and more focused.” Sims said she took all but two courses in three years at night. Sims, who graduated at age 24, noted that she was often the youngest student in the class. “I was also the only student showing up in sweats,” she adds. According to Richard H. Visse, SBA associate dean for Undergraduate Programs, about 25 percent of the school’s students in degree programs go primarily at night. “We try to offer all of our courses at night at some time during the year,” Visse said. “Many students take courses early in the morning before going to work or at lunchtime.” “I ’m sure there are students who go at night for four to five quarters who say to themselves, ‘I ’m getting to old this. That 12 to 1:15 class looks awfully good.’”