Semesters vs. quarters

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Semesters vs. quarters

• Russ Abbott

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Where we are now
Simultaneous courses per week Students/week
Quarters 34-unit courses 100

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Where we are now
The nightmare scenario
Simultaneous courses per week Students/week
Quarters 34-unit courses 100
Semesters 43-unit courses 133
Unacceptable
Unacceptable
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Mitigation optionincrease course units
Increase course units Simultaneous courses per week Students/week

Semesters 3 ? 4 34-unit courses 100
Makes semesters similar to quarters
Makes semesters similar to quarters
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Mitigation optionincrease course units
A 4-unit semester class is equivalent to a 6 unit
quarter class.
Increase course units Simultaneous courses per week Students/week
Quarters 4 ? 6 26-unit courses 66.6
Semesters 3 ? 4 34-unit courses 100
Makes semesters similar to quarters
Makes semesters similar to quarters
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Mitigation optionincrease class size
Increase class size Simultaneous courses per week Students/week

Semesters By 33 33-unit courses 100
Makes semesters similar to quarters
Makes semesters similar to quarters
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Mitigation optionincrease class size
Increase class size Simultaneous courses per week Students/week
Quarters By 50 24-unit courses 100
Semesters By 33 33-unit courses 100
Makes semesters similar to quarters
Makes semesters similar to quarters
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Eighth week slump
At 8th weekwhen will this be over?
Quarters Only 2 more weeks to go.

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Eighth week slump
At 8th weekwhen will this be over?
Quarters Only 2 more weeks to go.
Semesters Still 7 more weeks to go.
Now in the 9th week. What if we had 6 more to go?
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Costs vs. benefits
Students Faculty Administration
Quarters Not clear Benefit Cost
Semesters Not clear Cost Benefit
When is the cost to faculty worth the benefit to
the administration and possibly to students?
E.g., should faculty be required to hold office
hours 25 hours/week if it would help students and
save money for the administration?
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When will we know whether we are making the right
choice?
Convert Dont convert
Decide first then work out the details

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When will we know whether we are making the right
choice?
Convert Dont convert
Decide first then work out the details Too late

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When will we know whether we are making the right
choice?
Convert Dont convert
Decide first then work out the details Too late Never

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When will we know whether we are making the right
choice?
Convert Dont convert
Decide first then work out the details Too late Never
Work out the details then decide Before deciding Before deciding
Making a decision before analyzing the problem is
simply bad management!
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What to vote on

• Chose among three options
• Convert
• Dont convert
• Work out the details then decide

Slides posted at cs.calstatela.edu/wiki/semesters
Starts with cs not www