Editorial
Time to change
Dylan Breslin-Barnhart
Issue date: 5/24/07 Section: Opinions
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As the spring term drags on and most other colleges are done for the summer, I'm constantly reminded of how much I'd prefer Union to run on semesters instead of trimesters. Rather than the "10-10-10" calendar we've been on since 1966, Union should revert to a modified form of the semester system that existed here from 1915 to the early 1960s.
Two 15-week terms of five and four classes, respectively, would continue to provide Union students with 30 weeks of nine classes per year. With a week added on to the end of each term for exams, the entire academic calendar would hover at roughly 32 weeks. While essentially the same amount of time that the trimesters demand, the 15-15 semester system would nevertheless provide more meaningful vacation time. Like virtually all of our collegiate competitors, the first term could start around the first week of September, allow us a few days off for Thanksgiving, and end right before Christmas. The second term would begin in the middle of January and end by the second week in May.
Perhaps the most presently apparent benefits of this revised schedule are more a reflection of our current predicament than anything else. Right now, we could be on the beach, traveling Europe, or simply enjoying the summer break's lack of academic obligations. More importantly, having a summer break more consistent with other colleges would make it easier for Union students to apply for summer internships without having to negotiate dates with the boss. As I'm sure many of us know, summer internships tend to be designed around typical college breaks and so we stick out like sore thumbs. Creating a customized internship around Union's schedule is often possible but not guaranteed.
But the benefits of a semester system extend inside the classroom as well. While still taking the same number of courses we'd have more time to engage the subject matter-and not be subject to a trimester's whirlwind rush of classes and exams that can make college seem like a fast moving $45,000 per-year conveyor belt.
Two 15-week terms of five and four classes, respectively, would continue to provide Union students with 30 weeks of nine classes per year. With a week added on to the end of each term for exams, the entire academic calendar would hover at roughly 32 weeks. While essentially the same amount of time that the trimesters demand, the 15-15 semester system would nevertheless provide more meaningful vacation time. Like virtually all of our collegiate competitors, the first term could start around the first week of September, allow us a few days off for Thanksgiving, and end right before Christmas. The second term would begin in the middle of January and end by the second week in May.
Perhaps the most presently apparent benefits of this revised schedule are more a reflection of our current predicament than anything else. Right now, we could be on the beach, traveling Europe, or simply enjoying the summer break's lack of academic obligations. More importantly, having a summer break more consistent with other colleges would make it easier for Union students to apply for summer internships without having to negotiate dates with the boss. As I'm sure many of us know, summer internships tend to be designed around typical college breaks and so we stick out like sore thumbs. Creating a customized internship around Union's schedule is often possible but not guaranteed.
But the benefits of a semester system extend inside the classroom as well. While still taking the same number of courses we'd have more time to engage the subject matter-and not be subject to a trimester's whirlwind rush of classes and exams that can make college seem like a fast moving $45,000 per-year conveyor belt.
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