Office of Academic Affairs

 

November 2011

Countdown to Semesters!!
7 months and counting
Semesters start on June 18, 2012

Dear Colleagues,

In each issue of QSU we remind you—and are reminded ourselves—of the institution-wide nature of the efforts that are moving us toward the semester calendar. Indeed, no aspect of university life will be untouched by this sea change in the way we will organize our academic year. In the next several editions of the newsletter, we want to bring you information and updates directly from some of the offices that are most engaged in getting ready for the transition. This time, Dr. Javaune Adams-Gaston has provided us with the latest on semester preparations in the Office of Student Life.

Getting Ready for Semesters: The Office of Student Life.
By Dr. Javaune Adams-Gaston, Vice President, Office of Student Life

In Student Life, our goal is to provide an extraordinary student experience, which means supporting students as they pursue their academic goals and providing opportunities for them to learn and grow from their extra-curricular activities. We also run a number of large business operations. So, semester conversion is touching every department in Student Life, and we’ve been preparing for many months for a smooth transition.

A coordinating committee headed by Assistant Vice Presidents Louise Douce and Fred Fotis is complemented by several subcommittees tasked with working on specific issues, such as the software updates needed to support changes in business deadlines. Nearly every department has adjustments to make. Examples include rescheduling traditional May events, revising coverage dates in the student health insurance plan, updating web sites and other publications, and revising student organization constitutions to fit the new calendar. On a larger scale, the major renovation project on South Campus is driven in large part by the need to provide air conditioning in four high rise residence halls for the early weeks of fall semester.

From early discussions with campus area landlords about revising lease dates, to looking ahead to scheduling events in the Ohio Union and other facilities, to ongoing work to communicate with students, we are working to ensure that our services, programs, activities, and business operations make the shift to our new academic calendar without a hitch.

Semesters and student class schedules. All of us should expect a different academic rhythm on the semester system. For students, one of the most notable differences of the new rhythm will be apparent in their class schedules. Below are two sample schedules that illustrate this difference. The first is a sample for continuing students, who generally will be encouraged to take five courses per semester to stay on track to graduate. Exact course load, clearly, will depend on program of study and individual circumstances. The most important thing that students can do to prepare for the transition is stay in close touch with their advisors.

Sample Schedule for Continuing Students

Below is a possible schedule for a new first year student. In most cases, our new first year students will take five courses each semester. The schedule shown, however, provides for four classes, for a total of 15 credits. Most semester courses will be three credit hours, but credit hours will vary by course.

Sample Schedule for New First Year Students

Important note to instructors about course content on semesters. Instructors should remember that as five-credit quarter calendar classes are converted into three-credit semester calendar classes, the content of courses should not be expanded.

The same content now taught over a ten-week quarter will be spread out over the 14-week semester. The 14-week length of a semester does not mean that content can be added to a course, since the credit hour values are equivalent. Instructors should also remember that students will typically be taking five classes per semester (for 15 credit hours), as opposed to the current average of three classes per quarter (for 15 credit hours).

Final exams on the semester system. The semester system will mean changes in Ohio State’s final exam schedule. Finals will be one hour and forty-five minutes in length. Depending on the term, they may begin on Thursday and conclude the following Wednesday. The exam schedule for autumn semester 2012 can be found at http://go.osu.edu/au12exams.

Other semester dates requiring special attention. With the start of semesters now just seven months away, here are some summer and autumn 2012 deadline dates to keep in mind.

In closing, we want to note that a Semester Summit will take place at the University of Cincinnati on Wednesday, November 9. This will be the third and final summit bringing together the 17 public colleges and universities in Ohio switching to the semester calendar in 2012. Topics for this year’s edition of the meeting will include communications, advising, financial aid registration, teaching, graduate education, assessment, and perspectives from colleges that have recently converted to semesters. Additional information about the summit can be found at http://go.osu.edu/semesterSummit. All members of the community are welcome to attend.

Cordially,

W. Randy Smith
Vice Provost for Academic Programs and Co-Chair,
Semester Conversion Coordinating Committee

Steven S. Fink
Associate Executive Dean,
Curriculum and Instruction,
College of Arts and Sciences, and Co-Chair,
Semester Conversion Coordinating Committee