TUESDAY, AUGUST 29,196'
THE MICHIGAN DAILY
TUESDAY, AUGUST 29, 196~ TIlE MiCHiGAN DAiLY
rA a I
Polls, Praise,
Gripes
Surround
iT i rimester
By WALTER SHAPIRO
and ANN MUNSTER
The "rushed trimester system"
has been, ever since its inception,
the cause of many bitter com-
plaints by both students and fac-
ulty as they lament their respec-
tive lack of accomplishment at
the end of each term.
Under the discarded two-semes-
ter system, which prevailed until
the fall of 1963, semesters were 20
weeks in length, of which about
15 or 16 weeks were devoted to
classes. The first semester, which
began in mid-September and con-
tinued through the first few days
of February, was broken by three
weeks of vacation, and finished
with a ten-day examination per-
iod. The second semester began
in mid-February, ended in mid-
June, and was divided by a ten-
day "spring recess" in early April.
There was also an eight-week
summer session, for which the
tuition was half of the amount
charged for a regular semester.
Enrollment for the summer ses-
sion was often above 10,000, but
a large number of the students
were Detroit area teachers, not
regular University students. Class-
es were not in session from mid-
August until mid-September.
Trimester Terms
The fall and winter terms of
the trimester system are 15 weeks
in length with a one-week exam-
ination period and a grand total
of one week for vacation and
study days each semester. The
two and one-half week Christmas
vacation now serves also as a
break between the fall and win-
ter terms, and the summer session
consists of two seven-week terms
or one of 15 weeks.
The enrollment for the spring
half-term this year was 9500
comprised largely of regular Uni-
versity students. Due to the dis-
crepancy between the University
calendar and that of most other
colleges, it is difficult for students
from other schools to attend the
University. Many df the 12,000
students enrolled for the summer
half-term, however, are here for
the summer only.
Pressure has been mounting re-
cently within the University com-
munity to abandon the five-year-
old trimester schedule, though it
is unlikely that this outcry rep-
resents a majority of student and
faculty opinion.
The literary college Executive
Committee sponsored a referen-
dum of the literary college fac-
ulty, after receiving a report of
its Committee on the Calendar,
headed by Prof. George E. Hay,
chairman of the mathematics
department.
Faculty Poll
The poll was conducted through
the mails. Faculty members were
asked to respond by April 28,
but end-of-the-term pressures,
created by the "rushed trimester
system," necessitated a delay in
the final tabulations, and they
were not available until June. The
result was an almost 2-1 vote
in favor of a return to a two-
semester system with an "en-
riched" summer session.
The Calendar Committee, with
the aid of the Survey Research
Center, conducted what was prob- rate of learning will approximate cent of the teaching fellows, and'
ably the most thorough examina- sponses to the question "Do you 80 per cent of the students favor-
tion of faculty and student opin- like the present trimester schedule ed "ending a trimester or a se-
ion on the various ramifications better than a semester system?" mester before Christmas." In ad-
of the trimester system. While only 43 per cent of the fac- dition, half the students felt that3
Early in 1966, they distributed ulty preferred the trimester sys- ending a winter term about May
questionnaires to half of the lit-
erary college faculty (451), "vir-
tually all teaching fellows with at
least two years of teaching ex-
perience in the large depart-
ments" (118), one-quarter of the
class of '66 (520), and one-six-
teenth of the remainder of the
student body (456). Responses
were received from approximately
75 per cent of those questioned.
The results indicated that sen-
ior faculty members were signifi-
cantly more dissatisfied with the
present trimester system than
were instructors, teaching fellows,
and students. 65 per cent of the
students and only 39 per cent of
the faculty members said they
were satisfied with the present
University calendar.
The discrepancy between stu-
dents and faculty was most
graphically illustrated by the re-
-- - - m V
tem, 60 per cent of the teaching
fellows and 78 per cent of the
students answered "yes."
One possible reason for the fac-
ulty's preference for the semester
is that the trimester system com-
pels them to pursue formal in-
struction at a pace that makes it
very difficult to keep up with re-
search. This complaint was voiced
by Dean Gordon Van Wylen of
the College of Engineering. He
explained that a poll of the en-
gineering faculty revealed a gen-
eral dissatisfaction with the tri-
mester system and that the school
would like to see a more thorough
consideration of the issue.
Certain aspects of the current
trimester system are, however,
highly popular. The Calendar
Committee's survey found that
one-half of the faculty, 70 per
1 helped them in "finding sum-
mer employment," while only 6
per cent said they were hindered.{
Extra-Curricular Activities
Extra-curricular activities seem
to have been one of the major
casualties of the trimester sys-
tem. Two-thirds of the seniors,
the only students in the survey
who had experienced both sys-
tems, indicated they had morej
difficulty finding the time neces-
sary to participate under the tri-
mester system.
On the basis of the results of
the questionnaires, the Calendar
Committee recommended t h a t
"the present trimester calendar
be retained, but with modifica-
tions." They called upon teach-'
ers to "adjust the work load re-
quired of students so that the
that under the semester system"
and that "the practice of giving
early final examinations be elimi-
nated." In addition they recom-
mended that the study days be-
fore examinations be increased
from four to five and that the
midterm break in the winter term
be extended to one full week.
] ,1
The Executive Committee's res-
olution stated that a major in-,
ference to be drawn from the re-
cent survey of faculty and stu-
dent opinion is that adoption of
the trimester system has resulted
in damage to a number of educa-
tional values, without offering
sufficient improvement as com-
pensation.
University Efficiency
But an important factor in re-,
tention of the trimester system is
the more efficient use of Univer-
sity facilities which has been ob-
tained through the new system.
Making the summer session into a
full semester means that the
University can receive twice as
much money from tuition. And1
the month-long period betweenl
Plan
the summer session and the
semester has been reduced to
than a week by the trime
schedule.
These considerations of e
cient use of University facili
and 'the amount of tuition
ceived are far from unimport
to the Regents, with whom f
calendar decisions rest.
One Regent was reported
have said during a discussior
the trimester, "I run my fact
the year around, I can't see
the University can't be run
same way."
It is unlikely that the res
of the faculty poll will beX
sented directly to the Rege
In all probability, they will
presented to the President, o
vice-president, or the Faculty
sembly for further action. '
Regents have already approve
University calendar through
spring commencement of 11
And while it is possible to a
this calendar, such a change
considered highly improbable.
ii
UAC EVENT:
Labor Day Weekend Festivities
To Feature Varied Program
SAVE
By JENNIFER RHEA
Labor Day ,weekend will be the
first major social event of 1967-68
when it commences its festivities
on the weekend of September 1-4.
Under the general co.chairman-
ship of Robert Sparks, '68E, and
Stephen Eklund, '69E, LDW has
three major concepts embodied
within its fun-filled framework.
First, the weekend is in part gear-
ed toward a cooperation between
University students and the city
of Ann Arbor. In this respect, vari-
ous of the events during LDW are
co-sponsored by the Weekend's
Central Committee and certain
Ann Arbor teams and service clubs.
Second, its was decided that this
celebration would not be cluttered
with, a number of games, stunts,
competitive house events, and
other activities that sometimes re-
quire more work. than leisure for
the students involved in them.
With these objectives, the final
plans have been formulated into
a reality, that the LDW Central
4 Committee is sire all will enjoy.
During registration and up until
Friday night, September 1, the
diag will appear as it never has
before. A "Beer Garden" in the
finest of University tradition will
be constructed where students may
relax with, drinks, furnished by
. LDW, while suffering through the
registration lines. Then Friday
night one of the finest mixers of
the year will be held with the
Long Island South Band in a place
to be announced later. This is one
Daily Photo Staff
Photo Elitor ..........Andrew Sacks
Lab Chief .......... obert Sheffield
Chief Photographer ... Thomas R. Copi
Photographers; Bernie Baker, Ron Hol-
comb, George Junne, Thomas Sheard,
Charles SoberTian.
All pictures are copyright by the Asso-
ciated Press and The Michigan Daily.
Reprints aavilable upon request.
of the LDW features being co-
sponsored for the band is being
presented by the courtesy of the
State Street Merchants Associa-
tion.
On Saturday, for all those who
have any kind of wheels-cycles or
cars-there will be a road rally,
fashioned after those so success-
fully given by the large motor
corporations. This road rally, how-
ever, is an excellent chance to see
the country, take along a "navi-
gator" for an afternoon drive, or
to cash in on some possible big
prizes.
The night of September 2 will
see Louis "Satchmo" Armstrong in
concert at Hill Auditorium.
Sunday, November 3, will see one
of the most novel entertainment
performances of all times appear-
ing in the Baseball Stadium. Fol-
lowing the traditional themes of
Labor Day, but injecting the es-
sence of royalty into an ordinary
event, LDW Central Committee
presents one of the greatest of
softball teams-royalty-The King
and His Court, the "Harlem Globe-
trotters" of softball.
To finish off an exciting and en-
joyable Sunday afternoon, LDW
and the Jaycees of Ann Arbor are
co-sponsoring a picnic dinner in
the area of Wines Field.
BUT JUNIOR
HAS TO PAY FOR IT!
U~hr 4flijr~tgan 4-&
AT
ULBICU
ANN,
ARBOR'S FRIENDLY BO
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i
IBursley Hall Complex
T" I-I. 014 n fw.Alirnf
i " O 1"Uau t ,
(Continued from Page 1)
Bursley Hall, which will con-
tain 518 double and 144 single
rooms, will contain from 35 to 50
per cent freshmen, 135 returning
upperclassmen, and a great num-
ber of transfer and graduate stu-
dents, according to Edward C.
Salowitz, assistant director of
University Housing.
"The new students will prob-
ably be either in the music school
or in an engineering program so
they perhaps will have classes on
North Campus,". Salowitz ex-
plained. For. those who do have
classes on Main Campus, the Uni-
versity will continue its free bus
service, with buses running every
few minutes throughout the day.
Bursley is a four-story structure'
consisting of two main housing
units for 600 students (300 men,
390 women) connected by a three-
level service building.
The rooms of Bursley are about
the same size as the rooms in East
Quadrangle, with the exception of
the resident directors' suites.
Each RD will live in a two-room
suite with private bath and
kitchenette.
Salowitz says their accommoda-
tions have been designed this way
so "in case any faculty member
should want to be a resident di-
rector, we will have suitable quar-
ters to accommodate him."
The upper level of the service
building consists of four dining
halls which can handle about 500
s t u d e n ts each. Multipurpose
rooms are available for private
meetings of student groups. A
snack bar is located on the lower
floor.
The main floor of the building
consists of a service area, offices,
and certain student facilities, in-
cluding a student government
room and a game room.
PEW
MICHIGAN UNION SHOW KOEDS TOO!
Michigan's All-Campus Musical Show
1966-West Side Story
1967-Anything Goes
Out of Our Minds
Join MUSKET to Build Another
Fabulous Show in 1968!
TWO MASS MEETINGS
Campu £ooI
1967
It's here at Jacobson's, America's most complete
campus fashion shop . . . a color-go-lively collection of
fashions on the move, everything you want for
classroom, social, fun and casual wear. Plan to make
Jacobson's your first stop . . your away-from-home
mot,,I .1 I' I* -