March 19, 1998

Katie Ward, Staff Writer


After being approached by Chancellor Francis Borkowski, the Student Government Association drafted legislation to increase course availibility and scheduling options.

The Academic Affairs Committee, headed by Stephani Lilly, was given the challenge of researching and identifying the problem in order to construct the legislation.

Written by Senator Leslie Turner, the legislation states that “the current scheduling and availibility is not sufficient in meeting the students’ needs in their academic course of study.”

Students are unable to utilize the traditional five-day school week.  As a result, students are unable to accomodate a flexible schedule in order to achieve their academic goals, Turner said.

“Appalachian State students want more options when making their schedules,” Lilly said.  “This legislation will provide additional options.”

Lilly also hopes that this legislation will allow students to complete their college education in a timely manner.

“This legislation will hopefully help students graduate in four years,” Lilly said.  “This is getting difficult, because the classes overlap so much now.”

In short, the SGA hopes that departments will utilize all available time slots rather than just a few hours a day, as well as prevent start and stop times from overlapping.

The Faculty Senate Resolution, sponsored by Howard Dorgan and Dee Parks, states that they are in full support of “increased utilization of our Fridays for classroom instruction, a fuller schedule of early morning classes and a greater standardization of class start/stop times.”

According to the Faculty Senate, between 1989 and 1997, the total number of 8 a.m. classes declined from 196 to 177, despite growth in classes offered.

During the fall 1997 semester, five departments operated with no Monday, Wednesday, Friday classes.

These departments could be found within the College of Arts and Sciences, the College of Business and the College of Education.

However, Tuesday-Thursday classes are prominent throughout all of the colleges.

Four departments spread throughout  the College of Arts and Sciences and the College of Business offered no 8 a.m. sections.

Although, the remaining colleges across campus have experienced a decline in these time slots.

“It is reasonable to assume that such scheduling congestions significantly complicate students’ normal registration efforts,” said members of the Faculty Senate.

If the resolution of policy is passed by SGA and approved by the administration, all departments will feel the effects almost immediately, Lilly said.

According to SGA Vice-President Jake Parker, Appalachian is the lowest in the UNC school system in the usage of class space in the traditional 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. workday.

“This piece of legislation is intended to make better use of the scheduling,” Parker said.

“Because the Faculty Senate didn’t previously pass this, (SGA) is taking up the charge and helping students out,” said Parker.
 
 
 

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