Students got their first chance to attack the university’s new proposed scheduling paradigm, but its creators met the wave of questions and criticism with stiff resistance.

The first of three scheduling forum meetings was held last night at Maxwell Auditorium to allow students and faculty the chance to ask questions and provide input on the new system.

In the new paradigm, there will be 55-minute classes on Monday, Wednesday and Thursday until 1:40 p.m. Eighty-minute classes will be held on Monday and Thursday, with the majority after 2 p.m. Tuesday and Friday will consist solely of 80-minute classes in order to eliminate the possibility of a scheduling conflict with a 55-minute class.

‘The faculty wanted more 80-minute classes than days could hold,’ said Ron Cavanagh, vice president of undergraduate studies.

At present time, it is often difficult to take classes in different schools because the schedules are so varied. With the new paradigm, organizers hope that studying in cross-disciplines would be much easier.

During the meeting, students and faculty shared many concerns about the new paradigm, including worry about back-to-back classes on Wednesday and Thursday.

‘Students will not be able to do any huge projects and nothing demanding will be done on Wednesday nights,’ said Stephanie Kessler, a junior advertising major and president of Undergraduates for a Better Education. ‘This will restructure the way that courses need to be taught.’

‘Not as much can be done from one day to the next, like reading and writing,’ said Carol Lipson, head of The College of Arts and Science’s writing program.

Chairman of the Committee on Instruction Ernie Hemphill, one of the plan’s creators, said no problems were reported in his experience during summer classes, which utilize a back-to-back system.

‘The faculty will make shifts about how much work is given, and some accommodations will need to be made.’ Hemphill said.

Another issue that was discussed was the three-hour time block on Wednesday from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. The time is set aside so club meetings and other activities can avoid conflict with classes.

Kessler felt that this time slot would not be used well and would make Wednesdays much easier and more like a Friday.

Lipson worries that if the university institutes the new paradigm, many part-time faculty members will not be able to teach at other schools as they are able to now, and therefore will have to leave Syracuse.

Finally, in the new paradigm, some classes will start at 8 a.m. and Friday classes could go until 6:20 p.m.

‘Students will try to avoid Friday and early classes no matter what,’ Kessler said.

‘Every other college and university in the area starts at 8 a.m.,’ Hemphill said. ‘The students will adapt; if the classes are interesting or required, the students will take them.’

Should the new paradigm be put into place, there will be an opportunity to change it.

‘We tried to anticipate any problems that could come about, but if we find that it doesn’t work, we would have to go to another plan,’ Hemphill said. ‘We are convinced that this will work.’

If the three-hour block on Wednesday is not utilized well, the school will abolish it and fill the time slot with labs.

Undergraduates for a Better Education is currently in the early stages of distributing a survey to all students asking their opinion of the new paradigm. Thus far, the UBE has said that no student has been in favor of the plan, and that most have no idea about the details of the change. The UBE will collect the results and present them to the University Senate.

‘More research and student opinion need to be offered,’ Kessler said.

Published on September 11, 2003 at 12:00 pm