Spring Break
Increase found in class sizes in certain dept.
Issue date: 12/6/07
"I have been teaching Contemporary International Politics for over 20 years now," David said. "It has been well over 200 students for many years."
The issue has gained attention by the professors and individual departments. However, there is little that can be done to decrease class sizes.
"We would love to reduce class sizes for a number of reasons," said Dr. Richard Brown, head of the math department and professor for Calculus II for Physical Science and Engineering Students.?"However, the fact that courses are taught by professors, and the number of professors we have here is limited, I am not sure how we can reduce class sizes."
Some departments have tried to cap the number of students allowed in each course. Dr. David Smith, head of the Writing Seminars department, capped each Introduction to Fiction and Poetry class at 17 people.
"When I became chairman of the department I had to find a compromise between the impulse to help and the need to effect the best size for the sort of individual teaching Introduction to Fiction and Poetry requires," Smith said. "I therefore permitted courses to increase to 17, and that is the current maximum. It is, of course, too large for the best practices but economies of size are part of the life we all live, and compromises must be made."
But this is not an option for all departments. The math department maintains a policy that no student can ever be denied access to any course given during the semester. This eliminates the possibility of reducing class sizing by simply capping the number of students.
Some large introductory courses could be broken up into smaller lectures, but this too has its disadvantages.
"If, for example, I broke up my class and taught in the fall and spring semesters, I couldn't teach any small advanced courses," Smith said. "Sure, I will reduce class size from 200 to 100 students possible, but will that really make any difference?"
While introductory courses tend to be very large, upper-level courses tend to be much smaller. Upperclassmen tend to have greater interaction with their professors.
The issue has gained attention by the professors and individual departments. However, there is little that can be done to decrease class sizes.
"We would love to reduce class sizes for a number of reasons," said Dr. Richard Brown, head of the math department and professor for Calculus II for Physical Science and Engineering Students.?"However, the fact that courses are taught by professors, and the number of professors we have here is limited, I am not sure how we can reduce class sizes."
Some departments have tried to cap the number of students allowed in each course. Dr. David Smith, head of the Writing Seminars department, capped each Introduction to Fiction and Poetry class at 17 people.
"When I became chairman of the department I had to find a compromise between the impulse to help and the need to effect the best size for the sort of individual teaching Introduction to Fiction and Poetry requires," Smith said. "I therefore permitted courses to increase to 17, and that is the current maximum. It is, of course, too large for the best practices but economies of size are part of the life we all live, and compromises must be made."
But this is not an option for all departments. The math department maintains a policy that no student can ever be denied access to any course given during the semester. This eliminates the possibility of reducing class sizing by simply capping the number of students.
Some large introductory courses could be broken up into smaller lectures, but this too has its disadvantages.
"If, for example, I broke up my class and taught in the fall and spring semesters, I couldn't teach any small advanced courses," Smith said. "Sure, I will reduce class size from 200 to 100 students possible, but will that really make any difference?"
While introductory courses tend to be very large, upper-level courses tend to be much smaller. Upperclassmen tend to have greater interaction with their professors.
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