USU revamps summer school
Students who regularly enroll in USU’s summer semester classes will find that five departments are adding courses that may be difficult for students to get into during the fall and spring semester.
Departments adding classes include health physical education recreation, biology, geology, English and family, consumer and human development.
Prior to the summer 2012 semester, the summer class schedule was separated into four periods of time allotted for classes. There were three four-week periods and one eight-week period. Now, the schedule is more simple to follow, said Lisa Hancock, program administrator for new student orientation.
The new schedule includes one four-week block beginning in May and one seven-week block beginning the first week of June. Classes in session during the four-week block will occur Monday through Friday with each class lasting two hours. The seven-week block allows for a three-day weekend, as classes do not meet Fridays. These class periods are one hour, 15 minutes each.
“The university wants more students to take summer classes,” Hancock said. “The classes are typically smaller, but it’s good for classes that are hard to get into the other two semesters. It helps the university as well, because it relieves some of the congestion of those classes in the fall and spring semesters.”
Sophomore Aaron Anderson said because his computer science major requires many math courses, he is planning to attend summer school for the first time this summer so he can get ahead.
“If I want to graduate on time, I will need to take classes during the summer,” Anderson said. “I will probably do the four-week course in May, because it will still allow me to have a summer. I don’t need the four months off school.”
He said it will be convenient to be able to finish the courses he needs all at once, so he can enjoy the rest of his summer.
The previous summer semester bell schedule was difficult to follow, said John Mortensen, USU registrar. Now, the schedule is more uniform with a clear bell schedule, because none of the designated course periods overlap. He said USU administrators found it necessary to make summer semester more attractive to students.
“There is stricter enforcement of the calendars,” Mortensen said. “We want students to package together classes that work with their schedules.”
Mortensen said this strict schedule will not allow much flexibility for professors and instructors to decide when they want to teach.
USU’s Outdoor Recreation Program is taking advantage of the summer school schedule changes, too, Hancock said. Because many summer school students will have a three-day weekend, ORP is setting up trips to local areas to give those interested a lesson in Cache Valley’s many outdoor recreation possibilities, Hancock said.
“People complain about the winters in Logan,” Mortensen said. “And the summers are amazing here. I think a lot of students would want to take advantage of it.”–
Attending summer semester may be appealing for out-of-state students, Hancock said, considering in-state tuition applies for everyone during this semester. It is also ideal for those who want to attain residency and pay in-state tuition the following semester, she said.
“For out-of-state students it’s a bargain,” Mortensen said. “And tuition hikes begin in the summer after the legislative session.”
Some USU scholarships can be applied to summer semester tuition, Hancock said, but this usually means it counts as one of the total number of semesters the university agreed to grant the student. Departmental scholarships may not be eligible to use during the summer, but Hancock said she suggests talking with the department awarding the scholarship to ask if this would be an option.
Almost all housing complexes on and off campus offer reduced prices. For example, USU’s online Housing guide states: One shared room in Davis Hall during the summer is $490. This same room during the fall and winter semesters is available for $1,315 per semester. The on-campus housing summer contracts begin May 6 and end Aug. 13.
Hancock said USU Housing and off-campus housing lower their rates to entice students to stay and keep producing an income from those living areas.
– catherine.meidell@aggiemail.usu.edu