Last week, it was reported that Duke University announced it would be cutting 8 a.m. classes to fight sleep deprivation.

Judith Ruderman, vice provost at Duke, said that is not the case.

“It would be pretty stupid of us to think delaying classes a half hour would eliminate sleep deprivation,” Ruderman said.

Ruderman said a lack of interest in the early-morning classes caused an overcrowding in classes between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., leaving the 8 a.m. classes generally half-full. A committee was assembled to evaluate the problem, and it recommended that courses be spread out over the day. As a result, more classes will be offered and taken during the first period of the day, which now starts at 8:30 a.m.

“At the same time, another unrelated committee on campus was discussing sleep deprivation among students. Somehow, The Associated Press sent out a story that implied that we were fighting sleep deprivation by cutting our 8 a.m. classes,” Ruderman said. “It was picked up by CNN and went on the front page of their Web site. It’s been a real headache for us.”

Don Larson, director of NIU Registration and Records, said he questioned the article.

“I’ve always thought that the solution to sleep deprivation was to go to bed earlier,” Larson said.

Larson said cutting 8 a.m. classes at NIU would be an impossibility.

“I think there’s a tendency for them to fill up later, but they do fill,” Larson said.

There also are not enough classrooms available to be able to eliminate 8 a.m. classes. Larson said if students want to graduate in time, early-morning classes are necessary.