New block schedule upsets students
Campus Times
May 3, 2002
Since last spring, Eric Bishop, director of academic advising, along
with committees, have been planning the new three-two schedule, which will
go in effect in the fall of 2002.
Under the three-two schedule, students will be attending classes on
Monday, Wednesday, and Friday or Tuesday and Thursday.
Some students opposed this new schedule but once their classes were
developed they were more comfortable with it, said Bishop.
"I think it will allow them more flexibility in the week and will
allow them to focus," he said.
Certain students thought otherwise though, due to their concern of not
having Wednesdays off anymore. "It's difficult for students who want
certain classes; it was more convenient to have Wednesdays off," said
Alexis Carrillo, freshman.
One of the reasons the schedule was not implemented earlier was due
to the tradition of ULV having Wednesdays off. But, according to Bishop,
the schedule was really out of balance because the majority of the students
were taking classes on Wednesdays.
"I'm not sure if I like the new schedule. For three years I've
been used to having Wednesdays as a day off, and now I have to attend class
most of the day," said Cori Padilla, junior. "However, because
I'm a chemistry major, I normally have classes four days a week anyway,
so cutting my classes down to mainly three days a week won't have much of
an effect on me or my classes," she said.
This schedule is for better use of facilities and to assist the students'
schedules, Bishop said.
There were complications in the development of this schedule, like making
sure that schedules fit class unit values and adjusting the time that classes
should be scheduled in.
Bishop, along with Adeline Cardeñas-Clague, dean of academic
support and retention services, and Marilyn Davies, registrar, have been
working with departments in helping plan their schedules.
Faculty has approved the new schedule and according to Bishop, he has
received positive feedback from professors.
"It's a very effective schedule, but I'm not thrilled about having
a class that meets for 50 minutes, three times a day," said Jeffrey
Kahan, assistant professor of English.
"The downside of the new system is that it won't give faculty a
chance to meet on Wednesdays," he said.