Semesters vs. quarters/Email exchange between Kevin Baaske and Russ Abbott
From CSWiki
[edit] An Open Letter to the CSULA Faculty from Kevin Baaske
Dear Colleagues:
I am writing about the conversation this campus is currently having regarding the possibility of converting back to semesters. I hope to dispel some inaccurate rumors and share with you what I know about process. I want to highlight that President Rosser will be attending the Senate meeting on October 21 to discuss the possible conversion and also to share with you that there will soon be many documents made available to you that might answer some of your questions.
Please allow me to start with a little history. Last year, President Rosser told the Executive Committee that he wanted to revisit the question of whether or not it made sense for us to move to a semester calendar. He sought the faculty perspective on this question. I shared this news with the faculty multiple times at Senate meetings.
A study of the feasibility of moving to semesters was conducted by Hugh Warren and shared with the Executive Committee last spring. During the summer, Provost Cardoza met with the Summer Executive Committee and separately with Marlene Zepeda, the Summer Senate Chair, to discuss a process whereby faculty could be consulted as to their views on possibly moving to semesters.
As you know, this Fall Faculty Day we spent the afternoon receiving some information and discussing what the teaching load and the curricular process might look like if we decided to undertake this conversion. These topics were considered central to the conversation because it is the faculty who will have to decide how they will change the courses and programs, and curriculum modifications may have a direct relationship to faculty teaching loads. During the summer, the administration was working through possible approaches to conversion and turned to reports from other campuses that had recently converted to semesters. For example, the Administration investigated the University of Cincinnati’s plan to see what lessons could be learned from what that campus is undertaking. Since that time, it has become apparent that there is a need to explain to the University community the reasons why semesters may be, in the long term, in the best interest of the University.
Given the importance of a possible conversion, we have invited President Rosser to attend the meeting of the Academic Senate on October 21 (1:30 p.m. in King Hall Lecture Hall 1) and to explain the benefits of moving to semesters that prompted his thinking about this conversion. I suggest you join us for that conversation.
But I also want to reassure you about a couple of issues related to this possible change.
First, no decision has been made by the Executive Committee or the Academic Senate as to whether or not it would be wise to move to semesters. Further, no decision has been made as to how we obtain the input of the faculty. It has been suggested that we should let the Senate vote, as occurred the last time we considered such a change. Others have suggested that we permit the entire faculty to vote. And still others have called for both a vote of the full faculty and a vote by the Senate. The Executive Committee is currently considering all three of these possibilities. We expect to have the timeline and process for the vote available very soon, and as soon as they are ready I will share them with you.
Second, whether all faculty vote or just the Senate, faculty need to have an opportunity to engage in informed debate about the whether or not it is wise to move to semesters. To facilitate such a conversation, we have, as noted above, asked the President to speak to the Senate. The Provost will also provide a website where documents can be placed so that all faculty can read some of the relevant literature regarding this issue. The Executive Committee has provided 20 questions that we think faculty are asking and the Administration will provide answers. A “Frequently Asked Questions” link will be part of the website. We can include additional questions as the need arises. There will also be an online forum so that faculty can share their views.
Third, after the Senate meeting on October 21, each College will have a conversation about the possibility of converting back to semesters. I will personally attend as many of these town hall meetings as my schedule permits. All Senators will be encouraged to attend their own College meetings. Our role at these meetings will be to listen to the faculty voices that we represent. I will also try to answer questions if called upon, but these meetings will be convened by the College Deans.
Fourth, after the Colleges have met, the Senate will hold at least one more meeting to discuss this issue. Only then, after three opportunities for each faculty member to listen and share their views, will we consider making a recommendation to the President. Obviously, it is going to take some time to do all of the things I have laid out for you. We are not in a rush to reach a decision.
Fifth, there is currently no specific plan from the Administration regarding what the CSULA campus would look like if we converted to semesters. The Administration could have presented a detailed blue-print, but that would have been the worst kind of top-down management. Instead, we are currently engaged in a conversation to see if such a change is the best thing for our students, staff, faculty and administration. Only if we decide to change will we spend the time to work out all of the details and faculty will have a significant opportunity to participate in these discussions.
Finally, even though many of the details remain to be worked out, I can share some things about which we have been adamant.
- In meetings with the Provost we have learned that she recognizes the significant challenge involved in changing all of our courses and programs to semesters. We have shared the necessity of providing reassigned time and/or stipends to the faculty engaged in this process. We have also suggested on-campus retreats so that faculty can focus their attention on the change. She is in complete agreement, although we have not yet seen the details of what will be provided to faculty.
- We have also discussed with the Provost several ways that faculty might achieve a 3-3 or 3-4 teaching load if we change to semesters. Programs would have to achieve their FTES targets, but if they can do that, while assigned a more manageable (dare I say “sane”) teaching load, we think they should be permitted to do so. The Provost has committed to giving the Deans maximum flexibility in managing the teaching load.
I hope I have reduced some of the anxiety surrounding this issue. The Academic Senate and its Executive Committee are very serious about this process. We solicit your participation. We ask that you take advantage of the documents provided to you by the Provost and that you attend your College meeting or come to the Senate and share your views. I am a Communication Professor. I believe in the value of talking about issues. Even if we decide to stay on the quarter system, I believe that the conversation about student learning, pedagogy, teaching load, faculty rights and responsibilities, and the myriad other topics introduced, will be beneficial to the community of colleagues who teach and create and serve here. I look forward to this engagement of minds.
Sincerely and respectfully,
Kevin Baaske, Chair
CSULA Academic Senate
[edit] Message from Russ Abbott to Kevin Baaske
Hi Kevin,
(I'm resisting the temptation to reply to all.)
I have a number of questions [regarding your open letter to the faculty].
- I have never seen a description of the advantage of moving to semesters. I've seen a lot of discussion about why it won't be as terrible as some of think it may be. But I've never seen anything about why it's a good thing. (Your email message to the faculty didn't explain this either.) I'd appreciate seeing something that discusses (a) why it is a good thing for the University and (b) why it is a good thing for the faculty. The only minimal benefit to the University that I have seen is that it may allow the University to collect interest on student fees for a few more months. If that is the argument: (a) how will that extra money be used? (b) what assurance do we have that the University's state funding won't be cut by that amount with the justification that we will make it up with this additional interest income.
- You say that a website will be available with documents pertaining to the conversion issue. Will it be possible for faculty to put documents on the web site? Or will the website be broadcast only from administration to faculty. As you know there are already two communication channels available for this sort of interchange: a wiki and a forum. Why can't the administration use one or both of these? Must the administration be in control of the communication channel?
- You say that with appropriate course modifications "faculty might achieve a 3-3 or 3-4 teaching load if we change to semesters." We already have a 3-3 teaching load. Why risk that for the possibility of a 3-4 teaching load?
- Finally, do you have any objection to my posting this message and your reply on the existing communication channels?
Thanks.
-- Russ Abbott
[edit] Reply from Kevin Baaske to Russ Abbott
Russ,
The answer to your first question is for you to attend the Senate meeting next week. We have asked the president to tell us why he asked us to consider moving to semesters. It is not my responsibility to make such an argument--even if I agree with it.
You do not have to use the forum on the Admin website. No one is controlling the communication. It is there if you wish to use it. I don't know if you can add documents to the Admin site, that is a question you will need to ask the Provost.
You are correct we currently teach a 3-3-3 load. With NINE sets of final exams, papers, preps, etc. If you prefer the quarter system, perhaps, after hearing the pros and cons and participating in such discussion, you will vote to remain on the quarter system. I hope you still have an open mind on the matter, but your decision is your decision, You get to decide however you wish. I do hope that you consider MUCH more than the teaching load. There are many other reasons that I would prefer semesters, even if we taught a 4-4 load. Several of these are related to student learning which I think is much better on a semester system. I hope that the additional reasons why some of us prefer semesters will be discussed at the College town halls or at the Senate meeting.
I do not object to your posting your comments and my reply on the existing sites devoted to such communication as I would make the same reply if you asked me at a public meeting.
