By Matt Clyburn
The new block scheduling system went into full effect last week to mixed reviews from students, all in the midst of snow cancellations and the extension of the registration add/drop period.
Junior music education major Andy Degan cited some positive effects on his schedule this semester, but also commented on some unforeseen negatives.
“It seems to make my days longer, and I foresee myself not having enough time to complete my homework with all the extra-curricular groups I’m in after class,” Degan said.
First-year political science major Joseph Paquette is pleased with the new schedule.
“I am in my second semester here and don’t notice too much of a difference,” Paquette said. “And, I don’t have any 8 a.m. classes.”
Art student and Anthropology major Samantha Edgerly noticed that for certain classes the passing time may not be enough.
“I have a schedule where, when I have classes, I only have 10 mins in between,” Edgerly said. “It is awful – by the time students were dismissed from today’s art class we were left with only ten minutes to clean up brushes and work spaces, then pack up everything and get to the next class. I like having a more compact schedule, but I need professors to give more time to leave class.”
The policy was voted on by the CCSU Faculty Senate in the Spring 2010 semester in order to address increasing conflicts with classroom and faculty scheduling. The old method of scheduling left many classes needing specialized rooms, computer labs and smart classrooms when varying class times interfered.
While it added more scheduling options for thrice-per-week classes, it also extended the ending time of late night once-per-week classes to 10:05 p.m. from last year’s 9:25 p.m., making classes go later into the night than they normally had.
The new block scheduling system also brings a new ‘University Hour’ to campus. The time set aside on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 3:05 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. for clubs and other college organizations to conduct business also allows students to be able to attend on-campus events that class might normally take precedence over. Currently, there are a handful of classes scheduled during this time as CCSU begins to adapt the new schedule into its system.