A recent survey released by the University of Massachusetts Faculty Senate found that over half of UMass faculty oppose a proposal that would have the campus’ spring semester begin and end two weeks earlier than it currently does.
Of the 241 faculty and administrators that responded to the survey, 59 percent said they were against the change, with 24 percent standing in favor of the move, and 17 percent remaining neutral.
Detractors of the proposed change cited issues such as the disruption of the Five College cooperative efforts, the ability to conduct academic discipline between semesters, and a substantial decrease in international study opportunities for students.
The change, proposed by UMass Vice Chancellor of Student Affairs and Campus Life Michael Gargano is suggested to be implemented in the 2009-2010 academic year.
According to Gargano’s update report for the Five Colleges, the fall semester would begin the Tuesday after Labor Day and end (including exams) on Dec. 23. The spring semester would begin around Jan. 15, and graduation would be no later than the second weekend in May.
“Almost all of the universities where we compete for students have earlier start dates for the fall and spring,” Gargano said in his proposal. “Generally they start before Labor Day or immediately after Labor Day for the fall and for the spring semester around Jan. 12 or Jan. 14. The proposed change in dates will enable the Amherst campus to be more competitive,” he said.
Because the spring semester would begin well before the start of the other institutions in the Five Colleges, students who wish to take courses and collaborate in artistic projects, such as music, theater and dance at those schools might not be able to, respondents said.
“We have a truly shared curriculum,” said Ron Snell, who heads both the University’s astronomy department and the Five College Astronomy Department. “It would be a tremendous problem for us if the calendars weren’t the same.”
Many of the faculty responding to the survey said a shorter January break would curtail teaching preparation for the second semester, as well as research, grant-proposal writing at an important time of the year.
Gargano cites the academic calendar and the late final exam date as a serious obstacle to the students hoping to obtain employment or internships over the summer.
“Students at competing universities complete the spring semester around May 10 and can start their internship by May 17; this is appealing to the employer. Due to our late schedule, UMass Amherst students cannot start until June,” he said.
