The Senate of Michigan Technological University


Rejected in Faculty Referendum
See Proposal 21-03

PROPOSAL 5-74

THE ADOPTION OF A SEMESTER ACADEMIC CALENDAR

Sponsored by Athletic Department
Department of Physical Education

 

The academic programs at Michigan Technological University strive to offer students the best opportunity to earn certificates or degrees from their chosen department, while maintaining enough flexibility to permit students to follow individual interests. The academic calendar established is the framework within which the University must coordinate the academic programs and the student interest programs to best provide a quality, complete education.

In researching the present quarter calendar over the next two years, the Athletic Department has found that we are putting our student athletes at a distinct disadvantage, and are jeopardizing our budget and the budget of the student ice arena.

The Athletic Department and the Department of Physical Education would like to present the following proposal to the Senate for consideration and possible adoption.

 

PROPOSAL: That the University calendar be changed from the quarter system to the semester system.

 

WHY THE CHANGE IS NEEDED

The Athletic Department has found the following problems under the quarter system, all of which could be reduced by the semester system:

  1. We now find that 90 to 100% of our road trips for the winter sports will fall during the winter term whereas under a semester calendar at least a third of our trips would be made during the first semester. The quarter system causes an undue number of school days to be lost. For example, the hockey team will miss 14 school days next winter which means almost three full weeks out of an eleven-week term.

  2. Because of our league schedules and commitments, we will have to utilize the week ends preceding exams and also immediately following exams in order to keep our schedule. This will happen twice for our student athletes and it will put them at a distinct disadvantage academically.

  3. The student ice arena budget and the hockey team budget will lose extensive revenues because of the fact that two examination week ends mentioned above and two vacation week ends fall within the winter term. This results in the possibility of losing student revenue for four hockey games. Since both operations are in dire need of the revenue, it would seriously jeopardize both areas.

  4. The winter sports squads now have three eligibility quarters to fulfill instead of two.

  5. In the case of a non-grant-in-aid sport, it means that the Athletic Department has to provide additional revenues for room and board of student athletes during the two vacation weeks.

  6. In the sports of swimming and wrestling, the conference championships will be held during the week of final exams. The student athletes in these areas either jeopardize their testing or are forced to relinquish their earned privilege to participate.

  7. The spring sports of tennis, track, and golf will have to continue their season one or two weeks after final examinations in order to participate in the conference championships. This will put an additional burden for board and room for the participants on the Athletic Department budget, as well as an additional week to two weeks salary for the coaches involved.

  8. Since two exam periods fall within the winter term, two week ends are eliminated for students to enjoy their favorite winter sports. Also, the spring vacation is eliminated for student athletes who must stay on campus to complete their competition schedules. This is actually a moral question of providing proper time for complete relaxation during the academic year.

WHAT SEMESTER CALENDAR IS BEST FOR MTU

In researching the possible academic calendar, the early-semester calendar appears to incorporate examination times, beginning and ending dates, and adequate instruction periods to give full advantage to students involved in athletic activities. This early-semester system also would not jeopardize the summer job market for any of our students.

There are other considerations, such as the possible reduction in revenue needed for three registrations as opposed to two, the mechanics of switching from three-quarter instruction to two-quarter instruction, and individual department needs, which have been taken into consideration of this proposal.

In all considerations, the prime concern of the Athletic Department is the best and fairest situation for the academic welfare of our students and sound financial functioning within our department budget.

 

IMPLEMENTATION OF THE PROPOSAL

It is our hope that the Senate will establish a committee for study of various semester systems available to the University's needs, and, in the future, adopt the appropriate semester calendar. This adoption might best be planned with the 1976-77 calendar in mind.



Proposal Rejected by Faculty Ballot
See Proposal 21-03