Spring Break
Admin explores schedule change
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"[The study] was prompted by a proposal from John Bader, who is Associate Dean for Academic Advising at Krieger, and it was supported by my office, because we felt it was an area worth examining," said William Conley, dean of Enrollment and Academic Services.
He added that while there has been conversation about a possible shift, no formal outcome has been finalized.
"The study was conducted, we did comparisons with other institutions, how they were structured, but we haven't done anything formal [with students or faculty]," said Conley.
The administration is awaiting the report of the Committee on Undergraduate Education (CUE), the committee running the study on undergraduate student life, in order to take its recommendations into consideration before coming to any conclusive decisions, according to Conley. With 40 representatives from all five Johns Hopkins schools, the CUE was created last year to study undergraduate education and to make recommendations that will enhance under graduate programs, said Paula Burger, vice provost of Academic Affairs and International Programs and chairperson of CUE.
Administrators are divided on the benefits and drawbacks of a potential schedule change.
"I personally proposed that we move to a M-W-F situation, but I can see merit on both sides," said Bader. "This [schedule] is a long tradition; it's been happening for decades. It's pretty much unheard of elsewhere in academia. Why shouldn't we do what everybody else does? This is a hotly debated issue; there are advantages on both sides for both models."
Conley, however, insists on maintaining the current schedule.
"It gave greater flexibly for students to pursue research opportunity, with greater time allowances on Thursdays and Fridays," said Conley. "It allowed faculty to balance their teaching with intense research."
But Susan Boswell, Dean of Student Life, pointed out that the compression of a number of classes into three days precludes students from mentally absorbing the material.
"Part of the thought is that compressing everything in the three days makes it very difficult to do work in between. It doesn't leave time for the students to absorb the material," she said. "I speak from a non-faculty perspective; I think a M-W-F schedule is healthier, and gives people an opportunity to collect themselves between classes and go to the next class prepared."
Conley said a shift to a M-W-F sequence will prevent the sparse student population on campus Thursdays and Fridays.
"At Hopkins, since upperclassmen do not live on campus, whatever we can do to bring students on campus Monday through Friday is of value," said Conley. "M-T-W really creates binge learning. They use the weekend for preparation, and then Wednesday comes and they crash."
The new schedule would also lend continuity between schools, according to Conley.
"We're looking for consistency across divisions," said Conley. "The public health school [and Peabody] run on this schedule."
Burger added, "One issue that has been raised by students is the fact that because we're not on consistent schedules, it's difficult for students in one unit to take classes in another unit."
Traditionally, inconsistency between schools has not been a problem since they operated separately.
"But with growing cross-registration, [and more students] wanting the take classes at other institutions," Bader said this has become an issue worth investigating.