In a move which few Auburn students are likely to object, the University Senate decided to shorten the length of spring and fall semesters.
The proposed changes, which passed 2 to 1 in the Senate, will go into effect in the fall of 2010. The new semesters will have between 70 and 73 days excluding finals, whereas the current semesters always consist of 75 days of class.
"It sounds odd, but it's how other schools do it," said Kathryn Flynn, professor in forestry and wildlife sciences and head chairwoman of the University Senate. "Our goal is for each semester to be 73 days. I suspect it will be somewhere around 72."
Flynn said the primary motivation for shortening the semesters was to help students organize graduation plans. "When students got their grades, particularly in the winter, graduation would fall on the last day of work ( for faculty)," Flynn said. "Students had little to no time to carry out any appeals because all of the offices were closed."
SGA President Jacob Watkins said he does not think the couple day decrease to the schedule will cause any significant changes on campus.
"I don't think it will make a huge difference," Watkins said. "I supported it. It won't really change anything and who doesn't like a few more days off from class?"
The short amount of time between the end of finals and graduation caused problems for both students and faculty, Smith said.
In some cases, graduation and the following semester would overlap, such as the fall semester of 2009 when graduation for summer classes occurred after the fall semester began.
Flynn said she was a supporter of the proposal because it will allow teachers more prep time, it will give students a little more of a break between semesters and it will allow the University to carry out its functions smoothly.
"There are some classes where this will present a challenge," Flynn said. "It can definitely be a challenge to fit everything in. But then some classes seem to be a lecture or two too long."
Flynn said she thinks ultimately the change will be for the best. "Schools that have this type of schedule, they're high-caliber schools, they make it work," Flynn said. "We think it will be a win-win for everybody."
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