By Bryant Romero —
New Jersey City University may be changing its scheduling grid starting in Spring 2014. NJCU’s new schedule pattern could possibly help students to graduate faster and to become more efficient with their time.
University President Dr. Sue Henderson said, “The University looked at the way classes are scheduled to help students progress towards degree completion more quickly and effectively. This means allowing students to take more courses per semester, thereby utilizing their time and their financial aid opportunities more efficiently,”
The University is looking to maximize the experience for students at NJCU and would like to make sure that students will be able to easily move from one class to another with less overlaps in course scheduling. For students to be able to achieve their degrees faster, a Scheduling Task Force is reviewing changing the duration of classes for students to meet more than once a week for the same course.
“The majority of classes will meet twice a week, for 75 minute sessions. One credit courses will continue to meet once a week for 50 minutes, within the schedule grid. The 150 minute – once a week classes are not being eliminated. Departments will be encouraged to offer classes throughout the week, including Saturdays”, explained Dr. Henderson.
After the changes are implemented, NJCU will create a class schedule grid that will start the day at 8:30 a.m. and end at 9:45 p.m. The classes from the scheduling grid will be required to start at specific times: 8:30 a.m., 10:00 a.m., 11:30 a.m., 1:00 p.m., 2:30 p.m., 4:00 p.m., 5:30 p.m., 7:00 p.m., and 8:30 p.m. and will affect day and evening courses from all the majors and programs. It will not affect classes off-campus courses. Two hour and fifty minute courses will be offered much less frequently.
Classes will be an hour and fifteen minutes long, with a fifteen minute break in between scheduled back-to-back classes.
However, the campus community at NJCU has mixed feelings about the change in class schedule because of concerns of extra commutes to school and obligations to their jobs.
“I like longer hour courses because I live far away,” said Jenny Platero 18, from Carteret, NJ. “I’d rather come fewer times to school because it’s a long drive.”
“I don’t think it’s a good idea,” said Raniem Hussein, 19, English/Journalism major, from Jersey City. “It can be a waste of time coming twice a week, and it could really affect people who work a lot.”
According to Dr. Henderson, there has been much research to the length and frequency of class meetings at many institutes across the country which supports her observations. As a mathematics professor, she finds it to be more effective to teach a course several times a week and feels it gives students a chance to reflect on the concepts, work on projects and homework and to be able to ask questions that might not be as effective if the course meets only once per week.
“It will allow for greater flexibility for students to schedule their classes. They will be able to take more classes within a semester with minimum schedule conflicts. By taking more than 12 credits a semester, a student saves money and can finish their degree faster. It also will allow students more time to study, do research and work their jobs,” said Dr. Henderson.
“That can be good for me, I will have more time to study”, said Lizbeth Peralta, 25, Undeclared from Jersey City. “I’m not working right now, so I can do my homework with more free time.”
This idea of a more uniform scheduling class pattern was recommended by the Strategic Enrollment Management Executive Committee (SEMEX). The report began last spring and was presented to the NJCU community last summer.
Dr. Sandra Caravella, Assistant Professor of Mathematics said, “For Mathematics, the class should meet more than once a week “
“For other majors, I’m not sure because I know they like to meet once a week,” said Dr. Caravella.
The Scheduling Task Force will be holding a student information session on February 14 at 11:30 AM in the Gilligan Student Union Building first floor lobby where members of the Task Force will be able to provide students with more details of the plans.