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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (April 21, 1983)
Semesters continuedfrom page 1 returning for three weeks of classes and finals. After a 10-day break, spring semester would start, break for a week of spring vacation and end in mid-June. SUAB is putting together an alternative calendar that would begin in early September with the first semester ending before Christmas break, Allen says. He says the assembly made their decision without getting enough information on the students’ views. “Maybe I was in my ivory tower," says Ralph Falconeri, history professor, “but I thought debate would go on for at least a full quarter.” Apparently, some faculty members are unwilling to move to an early semester system because of the “weather argument.” They believe the weather is so nice in September that school should not be in session. Economics major Lanie Barry says she is against the semester system as it is pro posed. “(The weather argu ment) is ridiculous,” says Barry, who favors an early semester system. Biology Prof. Sandy Tepfer, who proposed the motion, says he tried to reach a com promise allowing the Universi Paul Apfelbeck: ‘Late semesters penalize students’ ty the semester system’s ad vantages while sidestepping the weather argument. “Some say the weather argument is irrelevant, but it does control how faculty vote,” says Tepfer. Tepfer says the climate is one reason faculty stay in Oregon, and the best weather of the year is in September. Tepfer explains the quarter system traditionally provided the same educational depth as the semesters. When it was first introduced, students took three courses, and classes met five days a week. This scheduling provided the same number of class hours as a semester system. Eventually, he said the system got watered down to the Univer sity’s current level. In terms of academics, most professors and administrators agree semesters allow students and teachers to ex plore a subject in more depth than the quarter system. "It allows you to get into a subject with more depth and write a paper worthy of turning in,” says Falconeri. “(In the quarter system), you’re constantly taking ex ams,” he says. “There is a rush to keep up with the evaluative matters. It is not that tests aren’t important, but there is not enough analysis, reading and paper writing. Quarters don’t allow enough time to talk to faculty.” Hynes also welcomes the evaluation of all the course content and restructuring the conversion would require. “It will provide serious thinking, not just a reproduc tion of the catalog,” says Hynes. “There is a lot of duplication. It’s the accumula tion of decades.” Board ponders semesters By Sandy Johnstone Of the Emerald State Board of Higher Education members are am bivalent about the semester system. The board will consider the semester system approved by the University Assembly at its Friday meeting in Monmouth. The recommendation from the Chancellor’s office is to pass the proposal. Board member John Alltucker says he has ques tions about the move. He is concerned that science courses with a lot of prere quisites may force students into taking longer to graduate. Board member James Peter son says the students are his first priority. “The University is for the students,” Petersen says. “Their feelings are important.” He says problems may arise for students who want to transfer in and out of the system. But board member Alvin Batiste says transfers should create few problems because many other colleges use the semester system. “Students transfer all the time," he says. The switch gives the Univer sity a chance to redesign courses, Batiste says. “That would be a good exer cise to go through,” he says. As the only state system school on the semester system, the University could serve as an example for the other schools, Batiste says. “It might allow the other schools to learn something,” he says. Board member Jane Carpenter is not enthusiastic. “Personally I feel it may cause of lot of inconsisten cies,” Carpenter says. No board member should be sure of a position before hearing the evidence presented at the meeting, she says. Board vice president Loren Wyss says the board must balance the institution’s needs against the confusion the shift may cause. "I don’t know how we’ll decide.” Quality Black St White Photo Lab We are a full service Black White Photo Lab where quality comes to you at affordable prices. Phone 683-5997 lab processing available Sttfh’s (formerly Burton’s) Crispy, Cheezy and Satisfying Sheli’s serves a variety of Nachos with the finest ingredients: Crispy Chips, Tangy Cheese and Fresh Green Onions, Tomatoes and Chili Peppers. 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