CSUB set to operate all year long in '08
Bakersfield Californian 2/19/07
A year-round schedule is a state university system mandate, said Mike Stepanovich, the campus' public affairs director.
The reason is to make better use of campus facilities, many of which sit empty during summer months.
An outcome of the change could be helping students graduate faster, which appeals to some students.
Student Jeremy Salcido said it would be beneficial if the university offered a greater variety of classes during the summer.
"The classes I've needed haven't been available," he said.
Sarah Bradfield thought it would be great to take prerequisite courses for her psychology major during the summer.
Another student said he'd rather work in the summer.
"I've never looked into taking summer classes," said Oscar Pulido. Working allows him to come back "in the fall and start fresh."
The Academic Calendar Task Force, composed of faculty, staff and student representatives, began meeting to discuss the switch in January, said Jess Deegan, a psychology professor and task force co-chairman.
For now, they are considering two options and will make a recommendation to the campus's top academic administrator by June 30.
The options are:
* Add a fourth quarter to be run in the summer as a regular academic quarter. Faculty, some whom work on 10-month contracts, may be given their choice about which three quarters they'd like to teach. Teachers may spread their teaching across four quarters instead of three or receive additional pay -- 25 percent on top of their salaries -- to teach in the summer.
More types of classes would be available during the summer in the year-round model, Deegan said.
* Continue as it does now with three quarters but add an intensive eight-week summer session.
The task force considered switching to semesters, but Deegan said that could cause Cal State Bakersfield to lose funding based on enrollment, which would be a major setback.
The times classes are offered and the vacation schedules may change if the university goes to year-round operations.
The changes also could result in lower enrollment costs for students by changing the system under which the university is funded.