A timetable has been set for the final stages of the academic
calendar debate, as UCLA governing bodies prepare to make their
recommendations by the end of the year upon the request of
Chancellor Albert Carnesale.
Carnesale asked in December 2002 that the Undergraduate Students
Association Council and the Graduate Students Association complete
their inquiries into the matter by the end of this quarter, while
the Academic Senate must make its recommendation by the end of
spring quarter.
The question of whether UCLA should remain on the quarter system
or switch to a semester system moved into the forefront in November
2002 when the Joint Academic Senate/Administration Committee to
Study the UCLA Academic Calendar released a 59-page report on the
matter.
The different deadlines reflect Carnesale’s desire to
allow the members of the Academic Senate to consider student
opinion when making their recommendation, according to a letter
Carnesale sent to the USAC and GSA presidents.
Though the ultimate decision will be made by the UC Board of
Regents, Carnesale will be making a recommendation to UC President
Richard Atkinson before the regents are consulted.
The Academic Senate, a governing body that sets academic policy
for the university, will play an important role in the
chancellor’s decision.
“(Carnesale) is obligated to consult the Academic
Senate,” said Clifford Brunk, vice chair of the senate.
For its part, the senate is encouraging intradepartmental
discussion and will be holding two town hall meetings over the
course of winter and spring quarter, Brunk said.
Following a discussion during their legislative assembly meeting
in April, the members of the senate will cast their vote in a
referendum regarding the calendar switch, he said.
Brunk is confident that the senate will be able to meet the
chancellor’s deadline.
“We’ve been dealing with it since November
(2002),” Brunk said. “I don’t see why (we
won’t be ready).”
USAC and GSA officers are not worried about meeting the deadline
either; Carnesale asked USAC and GSA to begin gathering information
early last summer, said USAC President David Dahle.
USAC is aiming to gather student input before it makes its
recommendation at the end of the quarter.
“We’re trying to see what is best for students by
taking into account their views,” Dahle said.
USAC has already surveyed students twice in the past two years.
Dahle said 5,000 students responded to this year’s
survey.
“Students overwhelmingly have indicated that they prefer
quarters over semesters,” Dahle said, adding that this
conclusion comes only from the two surveys.
USAC officers will use information from the surveys and consider
student input when they begin discussing the matter at meetings in
late February, Dahle said. The ultimate decision will be made
sometime in early March.
“In the meantime, if any student has an opinion on this,
they (can) come to USAC and voice their opinion,” Dahle
said.
Dennis Tyler, vice president of Academic Affairs for GSA, said
he and other GSA officers have been talking among themselves to
decide the best approach for gathering information from graduate
students.
A poll on last year’s ballot found that graduate students
are narrowly in favor of switching to the semester system, Tyler
said.
“We’ll talk to graduate students during our forum
meeting next week,” Tyler said, adding that the academic
calendar debate would be the “primary issue.”
In Carnesale’s letters to the Academic Senate, USAC and
GSA officials, he requested that they focus on two important
factors while gathering information and discussing the possible
switch: Which system will be most educationally effective and which
calendar will accord best with the university’s mission of
teaching, research and service.