I think there have been a lot of interesting and constructive comments.

I would like to add that more flexibility for faculty scheduling (which I am all for!) may result in less flexibility in scheduling for many students as we move away from standardized time patterns. Also, there could be a large increase in students asking to be allowed to enroll in classes with miscellaneous amounts of overlap.

Paul

Paul A. French

Associate Professor and Chair, Physics and Astronomy Department

SUNY College at Oneonta

Room 120 E, Physical Science Building

Oneonta, NY 13820

607-436-3358

607-436-2654 (fax)

-----Original Message-----
From: Teaching Breakfast List [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Janet Nepkie
Sent: Wednesday, November 10, 2004 9:12 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: class scheduling

Hello, TBers
The comments from Geoff are particularly helpful because they reflect student needs regarding scheduling.
It seems to me that the bottom line for scheduling should be whether a college is meeting the needs of its students.  At SUNY Oneonta, we have significantly raised the "selectivity" numbers of entering freshmen in recent years and we are turning away more students than we accept.  While we have many areas where we need to improve, it's also a fact that much of what we're doing is demonstrably better than it has been in previous years.  It's possible, therefore, that our current system of scheduling is one of the positive aspects of our campus.

Does anyone know which of our College Senate committees might be charged with looking at college schedules as a factor in academic achievement?

Thanks
Janet

Dr. Janet Nepkie
Professor of Music and Music Industry
Music Department
State University College
Oneonta, New York 13820
tele (607) 436 3425
fax  607 436 2718

----------
From: Teaching Breakfast List on behalf of Jim Greenberg
Reply To: Teaching Breakfast List
Sent: Wednesday, November 10, 2004 7:32 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: FW: class scheduling

This posting is from Geoff Davis, forwarded to the list by Jim Greenberg

Let throw my two cents in here as a part-time adjunct (yes, I know that is a
redundant title) and parent of two college kids attending two different SUNY
schools.

First, as an adjunct, I need flexibility in my teaching schedule because I
am working other jobs off campus that also require my attention. The
inability to teach a Monday-Wednesday or Wednesday-Friday class that meets
for the hour and fifteen minutes each session has caused problems for me
from time-to-time. Because of this I have had to change my day class
schedule to
Tuesday and Thursday for the next two semesters. The result is that I am on
campus less and also makes it difficult for my students to make up classes
they miss due to illness or club/team activities.

My son attends Albany and my daughter is at Purchase. Albany is so large
that if there is a pattern of when classes are offered I haven't been able
to figure it out the past four years. What I do know is that my son has had
considerable flexibility in determining the days and times of when he is in
class.

At Purchase my daughter has not had classes on Friday the three semesters
she has been there. Her impression is that because most faculty and a
significant number of students commute through horrendous traffic that they
selected Friday as a no class or limited class day. Also, most of her
courses are four credits and meet at least two hours each session twice a
week.

If the figure of aboiut 40% of our faculty are adjunct, and therefore
part-time, is correct then that need also has to be taken into consideration
when looking at a class schedule. I vote for more flexibility.

Regards - Geoff Davis