Summer School Comes to CMC
But Students Should Use this Resource Wisely
Hannah Burak
Last Updated: 12/29/09 Section: Campus News
Sometime during the busy first weeks of school this year, an email connected with a survey landed in the inboxes of all current CMCers, hinting at the possibility of summer school. Some 430 students responded with overwhelmingly positive feedback. According to the results of the survey, 84% believe that CMC should offer the option of summer school. Those who responded affirmatively should be happy to know that the administration plans to release its course offerings for CMC's 2010 summer school session shortly after Winter Break. The school plans to offer two consecutive six week sessions starting a week or two after graduation.
Just as we are beginning to plan our summers around home, travel, work, study abroad, and internships, another option has slipped into the equation. The first mention of summer school to the student-body leaked unheralded during a talk last spring by President Gann regarding the $12 million budget shortfall CMC expects to face in the next few years. She mentioned summer school as one of many options the administration would consider for dealing with the crisis.
But aside from the obvious financial benefits, why bring summer school to CMC? The survey certainly shows considerable student interest, but I spoke with Dean of the Faculty and Vice-President of Academic Affairs Dean Hess, as well as several other professors to discover what they saw as the advantages. Concerns were raised over the quality of classes taken over the summer outside Claremont. Most also agreed that summer classes allowed students to explore more interests early in their academic careers. This response aligns with the results of the survey in which 53% of students said they would attend summer school for "academic/personal interest." But according to students, the most popular reason to attend (with 84% of respondents in agreement) would be "to get ahead on credits."
Students should expect a limited model this summer with the program still in an experimental stage. Each participating department will offer one or two courses. However, the numbers may be weighted more heavily towards the language departments (research on language study has shown that more intensive programs, like the ones that will be offered over the summer, prove more effective in solidifying a foreign language). The classes will consist mostly of graduation requirements and introductory courses for majors.
Just as we are beginning to plan our summers around home, travel, work, study abroad, and internships, another option has slipped into the equation. The first mention of summer school to the student-body leaked unheralded during a talk last spring by President Gann regarding the $12 million budget shortfall CMC expects to face in the next few years. She mentioned summer school as one of many options the administration would consider for dealing with the crisis.
But aside from the obvious financial benefits, why bring summer school to CMC? The survey certainly shows considerable student interest, but I spoke with Dean of the Faculty and Vice-President of Academic Affairs Dean Hess, as well as several other professors to discover what they saw as the advantages. Concerns were raised over the quality of classes taken over the summer outside Claremont. Most also agreed that summer classes allowed students to explore more interests early in their academic careers. This response aligns with the results of the survey in which 53% of students said they would attend summer school for "academic/personal interest." But according to students, the most popular reason to attend (with 84% of respondents in agreement) would be "to get ahead on credits."
Students should expect a limited model this summer with the program still in an experimental stage. Each participating department will offer one or two courses. However, the numbers may be weighted more heavily towards the language departments (research on language study has shown that more intensive programs, like the ones that will be offered over the summer, prove more effective in solidifying a foreign language). The classes will consist mostly of graduation requirements and introductory courses for majors.
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David Student
posted 1/20/10 @ 9:03 PM PST
I had summer school once. I was pretty upset about it.
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