Why Cal Poly Should Remain on a Quarter

System

Senate First ReadingFebruary 2011

Elementsof Concern

Faculty workload

Student concerns

Loss of Polytechnic identity

Cost and other concerns

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Faculty Workload1

Faculty Workload• 55% of faculty voted against conversion

• 54% of the faculty who have taught and have experience on the semester calendar are opposed to conversion.

• 60% of Academic Affairs division opposes conversion

• Primary reasons for opposition by faculty- Increased faculty workload- Time and effort to convert - Negative impact on student learning

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Faculty Workload Rationale

• 4-4 workload for two semesters

• Standard 4-unit lecture courses will convert to 3-unit courses (as seen for most programs in semester CSU campuses)

• 3-unit semester courses add 1 more course prep/term (25% increase in teaching load)

• Teacher-Scholar model requires more research/creative activity

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Faculty Workload• Faculty Workload is a function of:

- Number of courses taught in a term- Number of students in each course section taught- Time grading and communicating with students outside the classroom

(email, office hours, etc.)

• Workload increases significantly if number of courses increases from 3 to 4/term - Another course will mean: - More time to prepare, grade, and communicate with another section of

students- Less time for professional development and assigned related duties- Could have negative impact on recruiting new faculty

- Faculty’s quality of life will decline and stress rise

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Faculty Workload• GE courses will convert to 3-units as dictated

by EO 1033- Faculty teaching GE courses will surely see increased preps

and grading

• 4-unit semester class (constant Format) drawbacks- Content for majors will be covered in fewer courses (huge

loss of diversity and depth)

- Nature of discipline will determine how well current courses can be realigned without reduction in content

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Course Diversity1

• Programs will undergo major restructuring of curriculums and courses

• Loss of elective courses in areas of faculty professional development and interest

• Students exposed to a narrower view of the major due to loss of courses

• Units to cover the required topics are already too few for expanding subject areas

Student Concerns2

Semester Drawbacks for Students

• 92% students oppose conversion

• 88% of students with experience on a semester system are against converting to semesters

• Three biggest concerns for opposition- Conversion’s impact on student learning- Time or effort required of students who are attending Cal Poly

at the time of the conversion and must deal with the switch from quarters to semesters

- Alignment of academic calendar with personal life and responsibilities

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Semester Drawbacks for Students

• Students will likely take 1 more course in a semester (5 as opposed 4 in a quarter)

• Students experience fewer courses and faculty members

• Harder for students to focus on course material for 15 semester weeks than 10 quarter weeks

• Quarters are a better vehicle for covering breadth and depth (2 course sequence) for a discipline

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Semester Drawbacks for Students

• Harder for student to retake a failed or dropped course due to possible reduced frequency of course offerings

• Harder for students with financial aid to pay fees in larger bites (pay 2/year in semesters versus 3/year in quarters)

• Reduced flexibility for non-traditional and working students to take a break due to personal responsibilities

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Semester Drawbacks for Students

• Less flexibility arranging class schedules in semesters- Students can adjust credit load better in quarters to match

outside job/personal demands

• Less variety of semester courses makes it harder to do a double major or a minor

• Students who must withdraw during the term lose more time and money in a semester system

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Loss of Polytechnic Identity

With one third of all courses lost to longer semester offerings the majority of upper division electives in all

disciplines will be drastically reducedGreatest impact on virtually all applied disciplines such as those in agriculture, business, hospitality

management, education, the visual arts, engineeringEnd state for most programs will be duplicative of

other Cal StatesUnique mission LOST!

3 Loss of Unique Programs

Other Concerns4

Time and Money• Upwards of $7M without software estimated cost

- What if money provided by Chancellor not sufficient?

- No evidence that conversion will produce financial benefits, even in the long run

• Numerous faculty hours to realign curriculum, redevelop courses, and advise students

• Faculty assigned time currently at all time low

- Faculty already overburdened with program review/accreditation and other responsibilities

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Concerns• Can a semester system support the same

number of students in labs and other practical facilities if they are only offered twice a year?

• Meeting FTES targets precisely will be affected

- Quarters provide 3 chances for FTES enrollment management as opposed to 2 in a semester

• Potential enrollment declines

- Could be largest single cost of conversion

- Alabama system 18.7% decline first 2 years

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Summary• Higher Teaching Loads

• Reduced course diversity

• Reduced flexibility for non-traditional and working students

• Disastrous impact on polytechnic disciplines=Cal State (not Poly) Pomona

• High financial cost and potentially no significant cost/savings over long term

• Conversion to semesters not wise for anyone