Calendar Committee might slash may term

by Kelly Sander

The Task Force on Calendar Options Committee was named and theagenda is set for the remainder of the year.

On March 5, Academic Dean Bruce Haddox named Bruce Sloan,professor of mathematics, chair of the Task Force on CalendarOptions Committee.

“I feel good about turning this committee over to him [Sloan],”said Haddox. “He’s pro Simpson. He’s pro high-quality academics.He’s pro student.”

Students Eric Elben and Allison Woodhouse were also named to thecommittee.

“Their primary contribution is going to be to represent,” saidHaddox. “If students have questions or concerns, they can talk totheir representatives.”

Both Sloan and Haddox feel it’s very important for committeemembers to keep an open mind.

“I want them to study whether or not the present calendar is thebest option for Simpson, or if some other option will better servethe college,” said Haddox who says committee members will need tokeep an open mind when discussing other options.

“I have enjoyed the may term experience. However, as a member ofthe calendar options committee, I will be required to considerother factors than just my own may term experience,” said juniorclass president Eric Elben.

Haddox has given the committee four specific items to lookat.

They are as follows:

* Educational Quality

* Campus Atmosphere

* Impact on Faculty

* Financial Impact

The committee has already met twice and plans to meet again forthree or four more times before the school year ends.

“It going to take a little while to work through all the issuesand identify those areas where we feel we need more information,”said Sloan.

Information will be gathered over the summer to help answerissues that may arise. The committee plans to look at otherschools’ activities to see how they work into their calendar year,as one type of research.

The committee will continue to meet throughout next year. Nospecific timeline has been made as the committee is still talkingabout the four issues submitted by Dean Haddox, though the goal isto have a proposal ready in roughly one year.

At that time a recommendation will be given to theadministrations, who would then pass the recommendation to thefaculty. If a major change is recommended, it would have to gothrough the Educational Policy and Curriculum Committee and thenback to the faculty for a vote.

Sloan feels that patience will be a key asset for committeemembers to have as there are many issues to look at.

“Keeping the focus on the issues at hand, as opposed to theopinions they elicit, will undoubtedly be among the toughestchallenges of being on this committee,” said junior AllisonWoodhouse.

(Mindy – Got a graphic idea. Maybe we could highlight the fourmain items the committee will be looking at over the nextyear.)