Friday classes make comeback

By Jimmy Chai, On-Line Forty-Niner

Wednesday, October 14, 1998

A 500 to 600 per year increase in the student population has caused campus officials to revitalize Cal State Long Beach's 50 minute, Monday, Wednesday, Friday morning-class scheduling policy that was submersed eight years ago, said Keith Polakoff, associate vice president for academic affairs.

The new policy requires academic departments to utilize the campus on Friday, alleviating Monday and Wednesday campus overcrowding.

After the budget cut and decline of the student population in 1990, campus officials turned to a Monday, Wednesday - 1 hour and 15 minute day - morning-class schedule because there was no need for extra expenditures of money and time for Friday classes, leaving the campus virtually empty on Fridays, Polakoff said.

"We have a smaller percentage of our enrollment generated on Friday than any campus in the [California State University] system," Polakoff said.

CSULB also uses its facilities less hours a week than any other CSU school, making it difficult to receive funds from the state for campus expansion, he said.

The university needs to utilize its existing facilities to accommodate the growing student population before CSULB can obtain new ones, Polakoff said.

As a result, the new schedule, which was enacted last year, will make room for approximately 1,000 students, allowing them to spill over from the crowded Monday, Wednesday classes, he said.

The new schedule also provides more class sections and a variety of subjects for students to choose from, said Samuel Councilman, chairman of the mathematics department who handles the department's class scheduling.

The reduction of class hours a day allows individual departments to offer more morning classes to students. The minimized hours also gives students more exposure and less material at one time, Councilman said.

However, teachers and students have responded with mixed reaction.

Due to the routine of Monday, Wednesday classes and Friday as an off day, teachers are reluctant to change due to other commitments, Councilman said. "They want a compact schedule," Councilman said. "Some have difficulty adjusting from their two-day schedule."

The departments must conform to the policy, which has received its share of criticism, Polakoff said.

Some departments, however, are not in sync with the new policy, creating schedule conflicts for students. By fall of 1999, all departments will be in compliance, Polakoff said.

It is an ongoing operation to accommodate the increase of students, Polakoff said.

"When a campus grows too quickly, it can have destructive effects," Polakoff said.

Tightened admission standards, off-campus classes and added afternoon classes are measures taken by officials. However, some said they feel it is insufficient.

"If you monitor available rooms and parking spaces in the mornings, [they are almost all filled up]," Polakoff said.

But the one thing that will remain the same are the Tuesday, Thursday classes, Polakoff said.