Campus opinions vary on new 'block schedule'

by Jaclyn Roco
LV Life Editor

The recently implemented "three-two" schedule has received mixed reviews from students and faculty. In this new schedule, classes are held either Monday, Wednesday and Friday or Tuesday and Thursday, depending on a department's preference. This differs from the former schedule, in which the majority of daytime classes were held either Monday and Friday or Tuesday and Thursday, with Wednesday off for faculty meetings.

The change has led to complaints over back-to-back classes that do not allow for substantial breaks between them, among other things.

But the new schedule has had some positive results, such as better classroom utilization and better parking, said Eric Bishop, director, academic advising and retention services, who was instrumental in making the schedule change.

"The hope was to improve utilization of classroom space and student schedules," Bishop said.

After laying out the preliminary ideas about four years ago, Bishop said a committee began to model and develop criteria for the block schedule based on other universities' designs. However, the University of La Verne had to modify its own schedule because of its own unit allocation, he said.

"Other universities have unit variation," Bishop said.

"We have courses ranging from zero to five units, even for a lab. Many other universities have two to four, or three to five units where most of them are a single value."

Bishop said the University is still in motion in its improvement of the schedule's design for next semester.

He said the committee is trying to respond to the concerns students and faculty have over the new schedule.

One of the main concerns faculty deals with is inconvenient meeting times they must meet to discuss University issues. The standard meeting time, which is from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., Monday, Wednesday and Friday, often conflicts with lunch breaks and class times, some faculty said.

"For faculty involved in college governance, we've eliminated lunch on Monday, Wednesday and Friday," said George Keeler, professor of journalism. "We meet from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., and then snap back to our teaching schedules as if lunch never happened. It takes its toll on your health."

Elric Boardman, who has taught at ULV since 1978 for the biology department, said there are both advantages and disadvantages of the new schedule.

"As a part time instructor, I prefer it like this," Boardman said. "I have more choice over times. It's more flexible. (The faculty meeting times) are part of the negative side. There's never a time where faculty is not being used, and it's hard to find a time when some students aren't in class."

Gary Colby, professor of photography, agreed that the block schedule provides more flexibility, especially for those who teach.

"If you can organize the available time, it's a good thing," Colby said. "We had a tradition; now it's going to take some time. We really did need to change."

Bishop said that faculty meetings were designed to meet at times available for all faculty members. Other universities have meetings whenever they want because they do not have any meeting blocks in their schedules, he said.

Despite the problems over the faculty meeting times now, Bishop as well as some other students agree that some positive changes have occurred.

"We had no picture of the potential we had," Bishop said. "Now we see how much we can grow.

Most students appreciate the days classes meet.

"I like (the schedule) because I only go to school three days a week," said senior Deanna Reyes. "It's nice not having to drive all the way out here for one class."