Skip to Content, Navigation, or Footer.

New spring schedule set

The final spring 2013 course schedule was released by the Provost Office on Oct. 3 that reinstated classes that run for 75 minutes on Mondays and Wednesdays, with some restrictions.

An earlier version of the schedule was revamped by a task force appointed by the Provost's Office.

Under the new schedule, no 75-minute classes on Monday-Wednesday will be scheduled between 10 a.m. and noon. However, departments are allowed to schedule Monday-Wednesday classes before and after that period, with some restrictions. For example, departments that schedule a Monday-Wednesday class from 8:30-9:45 a.m. must also run a three-hour block course on Fridays from 8-10:30 a.m.

On Tuesdays and Thursdays, most classes will meet on a two-day schedule, beginning at 8 a.m. instead of 8:30 a.m. Departments have the option of scheduling a three-hour course during the day on Tuesdays only if they also schedule one for the same time period on Thursday.

The schedule retains the two night class blocks. On Mondays and Wednesdays, night classes will meet from 4:30-7 p.m. and 7:15-9:45 p.m. On Tuesdays and Thursdays, night classes will run from 5-7:30 p.m. and 7:45-10:15 p.m.

A third scheduling option for night classes is a night course from 6:15-8:45 p.m. on Mondays or Wednesdays and a course from 6:30-9 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Students who take a night class in this time period can only enroll in one night class.

According to Senior Associate Provost Joan Guetti, the original schedule that was made optimized classroom usage, which was the main problem that needed to be sorted out with the large number of students that need to be accounted for.

Guetti said there is not enough space to occupy classrooms without a block schedule.

Guetti said she obtained feedback from other schools and the Task Force for recommendations made to this schedule.

"The recommendation that went to the Provost was included additional features, which attempted to address some of the concerns with the original schedule, especially the inclusion of some 75-minute blocks on Monday and Wednesday," Guetti said.

Guetti added that the Task Force will meet later in the fall and early spring to discuss any problems departments and schools still have with the blocks.

Student Government Association Sen. Drew Holden said the Task Force worked very well to come up with a new schedule that he is proud of, with such limited time to present, and is grateful that the provost was willing to work with the students.

Enjoy what you're reading? Get content from The Setonian delivered to your inbox

"I think it is really important for students to understand that we had to find a compromise and that changes had to be made to the existing schedule," Holden said. "I am also glad that the provost took our recommendation."

Dr. Mary Balkun of the English department said there are aspects of the new schedule that she is still concerned with but understands it is still a work in progress.

"I do have some concerns for this current model, particularly the heavy emphasis on classes that meet once a week and the lack of a Tuesday, Thursday, Friday option," Balkun said. "But I trust that the committee working on this will be looking for feedback, especially once the spring semester is under way."

"I think that it is a really good sign at the open-mindedness of the administration and their willingness to work with a diverse group of people, including students, to make changes to the University for the benefit of everyone involved," Holden said.

Lindsay Rittenhouse can be reached at lindsay.rittenhouse@student.shu.edu.


Comments

Powered by SNworks Solutions by The State News
All Content © 2024 The Setonian