1996-97 Calendar Study Task Force

Survey of Academic Units

The Survey Subcommittee of the Calendar Study Task Force is seeking information from each academic department and school at Ohio University on the impact of switching from the current quarter system to a sixteen-week semester. (1) (Academic units were not directly surveyed by the 1992 Calendar Committee).

The Survey Subcommittee anticipates that the academic departments and schools at both the main and regional campuses that make up Ohio University may have unique circumstances that may be affected by changing to a semester system.

The Survey Subcommittee encourages the reporting of this information. This survey of academic departments and schools should be treated as open-ended. Please provide whatever information you believe will help the Calendar Task Force Committee understand the impact on academic units of changing from the current quarter system to a semester system. In responding to this survey, please indicate whether there are positive or negative factors other than those in the 1992 report summary (see attached) that should be considered. The survey document is designed to elicit comment that might go beyond the advantages and disadvantages listed in the 1992 report. The Survey Subcommittee requests that input from all faculty in the academic unit be sought when formulating the responses to the survey questions. In order to facilitate tabulation, please organize your response to address the following areas: Curriculum, Faculty, Students, and a Summary Statement. The questions posed below are not exhaustive. Please provide whatever information you believe is important for the Calendar Study Task Force to consider. In addition, four quantitative summary questions are provided following the open-ended questions. This information will be carefully considered by the Task Force and made available to other individuals who wish to be informed by it.


Regarding the curriculum

Would the move from the current quarter system to an early semester system result in advantages or disadvantages for the curriculum of your academic unit? How would the change affect your academic unit's graduate and undergraduate programs? If applicable, how would the change affect accreditation or compliance with learned societies? Are there philosophical reasons relating to curriculum that would favor the change to an early semester or the status quo?


Regarding the faculty

Would the move from the current quarter system to an early semester system result in advantages or disadvantages for the faculty of your academic unit? How would the change to an early semester affect your faculty's research/professional/creative activity? How would the change affect your faculty's teaching? How would the change affect your academic unit's ability to rely on "retired" faculty members for teaching duties? How would the change affect the ability of your faculty to participate in public service, educational, professional, or research programs outside of Ohio University?


Regarding the students

Would the move from the current quarter to an early semester system result in advantages or disadvantages for the students served by your academic unit? How would the change affect student learning? How would the ability of your majors to participate in internships outside of the university be affected? How would your academic unit's use of textbooks, writing, laboratory, or other assignments be affected?


Summary Statement

Please provide any further comments that your school/department believes are important for the Calendar Study Task Force to consider. Are there compelling academic reasons to switch to an early semester system? Are there compelling academic reasons to remain on the current quarter system?


Quantitative Summary Questions

  1. Which of the following would best characterize the impact of moving from the current quarter system to an early semester system on your curriculum?

    a. Strongly positive.
    b. Positive.
    c. Neutral: neither positive nor negative on the whole.
    d. Negative.
    e. Strongly negative.
    f. Unknown.


  2. Which of the following would best characterize the impact of moving from the current quarter system to an early semester system on faculty teaching?

    a. Strongly positive.
    b. Positive.
    c. Neutral: neither positive nor negative on the whole.
    d. Negative.
    e. Strongly negative.
    f. Unknown.


  3. Which of the following would best characterize the impact of moving from the current quarter system to an early semester system on your faculty's research, professional, and/or creative activities?

    a. Strongly positive.
    b. Positive.
    c. Neutral: neither positive nor negative on the whole.
    d. Negative.
    e. Strongly negative.
    f. Unknown.


  4. Which of the following would best characterize the impact of moving from the current quarter system to an early semester system on your faculty's participation in public service, educational, professional, or research programs outside of Ohio University?

    a. Strongly positive.
    b. Positive.
    c. Neutral: neither positive nor negative on the whole.
    d. Negative.
    e. Strongly negative.
    f. Unknown.


  5. Which of the following would best characterize the impact of moving from the current quarter system to an early semester system on student learning?

    a. Strongly positive.
    b. Positive.
    c. Neutral: neither positive nor negative on the whole.
    d. Negative.
    e. Strongly negative.
    f. Unknown.


  6. Weighing all aspects of the potential for transition, which of the following would best characterize the overall impact of moving from the current quarter system to a semester system on your school/department?

    a. Strongly positive.
    b. Positive.
    c. Neutral: neither positive nor negative on the whole.
    d. Negative.
    e. Strongly negative.
    f. Unknown.

Thank you for completing this survey.

Footnote

  1. The early semester system includes fifteen weeks of instruction plus one week of exams. The Fall semester would commence in late August and end in mid-December; Spring commencing in mid-January and ending in mid-May.

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Alexis Cline revised this file (http://www.cats.ohiou.edu/~cstf/members.htm) on February 24, 1997.

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