Duke University will eliminate 8 a.m. classes in an attempt to help students sleep more, according to an Associated Press article.

The university, however, will start classes only a half hour later. For a student only getting four hours of sleep, that extra half hour is not going to make much difference.

Aside from that, college students are adults, and parents are no longer harping on them to get to bed early and wake up on time. If they find they cannot get up early enough for classes, they need to look at what they are spending time on and why they are unable to make it. Besides, when students head into the working world, they’re probably going to have to be at work by 8 a.m.

Duke is doing students no favors by changing its schedules; students already have the unusual option of choosing when to attend classes, which was the case even in high school. Flip-flopping between flexible scheduling and set starting times does not help anyone.

Classes that start earlier are good for those who want to get an early start. A major part of college life is learning how to schedule and manage time, and students need to develop these skills.

While it is good Duke is addressing sleep deprivation, students need to take responsibility for their own health. The university exists to educate, not coddle.

“They’re resourceful, and they’ll manage,” Judith Ruderman, vice provost of Duke University, said of students in the article.

She’s right. Students have always managed to get to 8 a.m. classes or find alternatives; the university does not need to spend time or money trying to solve what is a personal and behavioral issue.