Ohio University's impending transition from quarters to semesters is still on schedule, despite encountering a few bumps along the way.
The transition, planned to take place Fall Quarter 2012, has an estimated total cost of about $2.3 million.
Separated into four parts, the first step is revamping courses and programs to fit into the new schedule. Although the curriculum section was supposed to wrap up at the end of this quarter, it will most likely not finish until the end of Winter Quarter, said Jeff Giesey, co-director of quarters-to-semesters transition and an electrical engineering and computer science professor.
The main reason for slowing down submission and approval of courses and programs is OCEAN, the Ohio Curriculum Enhancement and Approval Network. OCEAN is an in-house program created to handle the submission of courses and programs by departments and have them approved by the University Curriculum Council. The council comprises faculty senate members, deans of colleges and general faculty.
New courses need approval
Giesey said. Programs change and we want faculty involved in the transition.
Other factors also slowed down the transition, including restructuring the College of Health and Human Services and the Patton College of Education.
Although the curriculum approval remains a quarter behind, about 90 percent of the courses to be taught under semesters are in review, along with about 75 percent of the programs that will be offered, Giesey said. When OU begins operating under the semester system, about 7,000 courses will be offered. The conversion of the curriculum is estimated to cost OU about $420,000.
With quarters we have slack in our schedule
Giesey said. The delay of a quarter won't push the transition back.
The second stage is determining what requirements transition students - students who attend OU during the switch - will have to fulfill to graduate.
OU will focus on the last stage of the transition, - advising - during the next academic year. Advising for transition students will begin Winter Quarter 2012, with some preliminary advising in fall. OU expects to spend about $1 million on advising.
The remaining funds - about $800,000 - will cover software costs associated with the transition.
Questions concerning student affairs have come up, but reactions are mostly positive, said Dean of Students Ryan Lombardi.
Planning is a priority within Student Affairs' transition to semesters. Many questions exist about family weekends, the opening and closing dates of residence halls, and Thanksgiving break, but Lombardi said there have been no real problems.
I think the change is very positive for students
personally
Lombardi said. It causes us to change up the scheduling of events.
While advantages of the quarter system include a long winter break and greater number of classes for students to take, the semester system aligns all Ohio public universities' schedules and allows students to study abroad for longer periods of time, he said.
Lombardi said he hopes that instead of the intense bursts of energy in quarters, classes will be more spread out and students can manage their stress a little better.
It will be a change of pace in student life
he said.
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Leah Fightmaster
