COMPRESSED CALENDAR FOCUS GROUPS What Do We Need to Know? Las Positas College December, 2007.
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Transcript of COMPRESSED CALENDAR FOCUS GROUPS What Do We Need to Know? Las Positas College December, 2007.
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Agenda for Compressed Calendar Focus Groups
A. Compressed Calendar Review Information & Resources (15 mins)
B. Open Q&A (10 mins)
C. Resources – What can we learn
from others? (15 mins)
D. Impact Models – How to complete (15-20 mins)
E. Wrap-Up – Next Steps (5 mins)
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Why a Compressed Calendar
(CC)?•Focus on Students
–Access and Enrollment–Fiscal Stability–Student Retention–Student Success
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Studies Available on Websites:
• LPC Grapevine: http://grapevine.laspositascollege.edu/academicservices/compressedCalendar.php
• District Website: http://info/edservices/CLPCCDIntranet-EducationServices.php
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What does CC really mean?
• Total contact hours remain the same (still adheres to the 175 day mandate)– No additional hours tacked on to the
curriculum– The curriculum is not re-written
• Class periods are longer (by 5 minutes each session for class meeting 2X/week)
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What does CC really mean? (cont.)
Total term is shorter in duration (from 17.5 weeks to 16 weeks)
– Additional time prior to opening in fall and spring to give students access to student services (assessment, financial aid; staff time for lab set ups, maintenance.
– Special sessions (winter) are still possible but is a college choice
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How long would this new structure be in effect?
• This would be a permanent structure, but …
• The dates for the 3 or 4* session calendar would be subject to modification.
*3 sessions: Fall, Spring, Summer; 4 sessions: Fall, Winter 6 wk, Spring, Summer 6 or 8 wks.)
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Why would LPC want to convert to a Compressed
Calendar?• It is believed to be in the best
interest of the students to promote student success and access.
• Enables students to advance their studies with shorter semesters, and the possibility of a winter session.
• 16 Week semester more closely aligns with many UC and CSU formats – facilitating transfer.
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Why would LPC want to convert to a Compressed
Calendar? (cont.)For faculty and administrators:
Adding “breaks” between semesters and summer/winter sessions provides more time to:
– Process grades
– Complete prerequisite checking
– Bring closure to previous term activities before the start of new term
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Why would LPC want to convert to a Compressed
Calendar? (cont.)Compressed Calendar systems are:
• Consistent with a growing trend among California community colleges
• Half of California community colleges have successfully converted to compressed calendars
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What are the possible challenges of a CC?
• Adjusting to the schedule changes may be difficult for students who are used to taking classes in certain time blocks.
• Examples: Some evening classes will start later, this may be a problem for some students.
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What are the possible challenges of a CC? (cont.)
• Students will spend a little more time each week in classes than before.
• It will take work from Faculty and Staff to ensure that admission, registration, records management, and student service delivery processes are adjusted to accommodate the new schedule.
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Possible Student Concerns:
• Will students have to take classes each term?
– No, to maintain continuing student status a student must only attend fall and spring semesters.
– Attending summer and winter terms would be optional.
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Possible Student Concerns (cont.)
• Because terms are shorter, would students be in classes longer?
– Classes would be only slightly longer per week.
– In one semester classes would meet for the same total hours.
– Example: a 3 unit class in CC would meet for 3 hours + 10 minutes per week.
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Proposed Calendar Implementation
• Decide on the calendar configuration: – 16 wk Without intersession OR – 16 wk With intersession
• If CC is adopted:– set up an assessment of its
success after one year– Decide how we comply with the
175 day rule
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CC Research Sources
•District Intranet:http://info/edservices/CLPCCDIntranet-EducationServices.php
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CC Research Sources (cont.)
• LPC Academic Services Intranet:http://grapevine.laspositascollege.edu/
academicservices/compressedCalendar.php
(Please contact Laurel Jones if you have other recommended sources]
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What role do you play in the process?
• Be informed – Read the studies– Call colleagues in your discipline
at other CC colleges
• Share your input with your Dean, Senates, Divisions, etc.