[Phys-L] Re: Quarters vs Semesters

[Michael Edmiston <edmiston@BLUFFTON.EDU>]

Robert Cohen questioned whether 30 weeks of instructional time includes
exams or not.

There is no doubt what Ohio requires.  The exam weeks are extra.  Even
the private colleges in Ohio have to be sanctioned by the state to grant
baccalaureate degrees.  Every state school in Ohio (and there are many)
operate on either 11 week quarters or 16 week semesters in which the
last week is exams and the rest are "instructional."

Even if you could argue that exams are "instructional time." it still
doesn't add up, at least at my institution, for the following reasons...

(1) Exams periods are 2 hours.  My 5-hour classes are supposed to meet 4
hours per week in lecture and 2 or 3 hours per week in lab for a total
of 6 or 7 contact hours in an "instructional week."  There is no way the
2-hour exam in the "exam week" can be considered the equivalent of a
full week of instructional time.

(2) At least half of our faculty don't give final exams during the exam
week.  Instead, some let students off totally free by having an exam
during the last regularly scheduled class period.  Others extend the due
date for term papers until the end of exam week so that students can
have a "free week" to finish up their papers.  Although the Academic
Affairs Office says that classes are supposed to meet and do "something
educational" during the scheduled exam time, many do not meet, and some
that do meet hold parties... oops, I mean "discussions with
refreshments."


Michael D. Edmiston, Ph.D.
Professor of Physics and Chemistry
Bluffton University
Bluffton, OH 45817
(419)-358-3270
edmiston@bluffton.edu

Robert Cohen said,

> Maybe your school is right and Columbus is wrong.  I don't know.
> According to the Higher Education Act
> (<http://ifap.ed.gov/bbooks/doc0010_bodyoftext.htm>) an academic year
> is
> defined as at least 30 weeks of instructional time.  Is there a
> definition of instructional time and does it include exam time?  I am
> at
> a school that has 14 weeks of "instruction" and a week for
> "culminating
> experiences".
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