Students
dissatisfied with winter classes
Monica
Pardee/On-line Forty-Niner
By
Troy Dove
On-line Forty-Niner
Winter
break has often been used by students to
retake a class or advance their graduation,
however, students planning on taking classes
this winter session may find course options
limited.
"I
was planning to take at least two classes,"
said Jennifer Groman, a junior double majoring
in journalism and graphic design, "one
for each major, but neither [department]
offer any."
Groman's
dismay came from finding that there were
no art classes and only one journalism class,
which was lower division, offered this winter.
"I'll
just have to take a full load in the summer
if I want to graduate on time," said
Groman.
Freshman
and sophomores fair better obtaining courses
during the winter session than upperclassman
since many of the classes offered are lower
division general education requirements
and prerequisite courses.
Many
students blame the lack of courses offered
on the recent state budget cuts, however
this is not the case.
The
winter session is "completely self
supporting," said Nancy Freer, program
manager and winter session coordinator for
University College and Extension Services.
The
winter session is supported by student fees,
much different than the fall and spring
sessions which are state supported, Freer
said.
Classes
offered are determined solely by the individual
departments based on student and faculty
interest. There is a minimum enrollment
requirement of 14 students that must be
met before the class will be held.
It
is a "case of demand," said Derek
Sullivan, former administrative services
coordinator for the journalism department,
"there needs to be 12 to 16 people
who want to take that class in the winter,"
for it to be offered.
Many
lower level GE requirements and prerequisite
classes are offered during the winter session
because enrollment is expected to be high.
In addition, the lower level classes are
easier to teach under the three week winter
session.
The
instructors may have to "leave out
too much from the upper level classes to
make them fit," said Sullivan, since
the winter session still requires the student
to meet with the instructors for the same
length of time as the regular semester,
45 hours.
Winter
session classes meet three or four days
a week for about four hours a day, which
can put much strain on the students as well
as the instructors.
Faculty
members use the winter break the same as
students, "to travel or work on their
own research work," said Sullivan,
"students [as well as] faculty probably
aren't too keen on a three week session."
Since
the winter session receives no funding from
the state and course offerings rely on the
interest from both faculty and students.
Students
fearing they will not get the classes they
need this winter may be able to catch up
in the summer session which next year may
be offered through the university itself
and no longer through the Extension
Services.
"The
university may take over summer," Freer
said. "It may be state supported like
fall and spring. It hasn't been determined
who will run summer for 2004 . . . [but]
our involvement will be less"
This
may possibly provide a larger course selection
for the next summer session which could
provide some comfort for those students
who felt like they were left out in the
cold this winter.
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