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DePaul University appointed the Quarter to Semester Exploratory Task Force, a faculty-led committee, that includes staff and students, to examine academic calendar systems and identify the most pressing academic implications of the university’s current quarter-based calendar. Currently, the College of Law uses semesters, and all other degree programs are taught in quarters.
“Most universities are on a semester system, so it is always a good idea to periodically assess the effectiveness of the quarter system,” says Salma Ghanem, acting provost. “The task force will gather data and weigh the pros and cons from a variety of perspectives.”
Members of the task force will:
- Examine the higher education landscape and relevant data
- Identify specific factors to be considered in a possible transition
- Analyze the impact of a transition on pedagogy, learning outcomes, alignment with other universities, and other pertinent factors
- Produce a report describing academic pros and cons of a possible transition for further consideration
Caryn Chaden, associate provost for Student Success and Accreditation, and Mary Ann Papanek-Miller, professor of art in the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences, will chair the task force.
In addition to Chaden and Papanek-Miller, the task force includes:
- John Culbert, dean, The Theatre School
- Liliana Fargo, adjunct faculty, economics, College of Business
- Joe Filkins, associate director, Institutional Research and Market Analytics
- Jacob Furst, professor of computing, College of Computing and Digital Media
- Nancy Hashimoto, director of advising, College of Education
- Daniel Makagon, professor of communication studies, College of Communication
- Molly Mercer, professor of accountancy & MIS, College of Business
- Johnny Milas, undergraduate student
- Kaitlyn Pike, graduate student, former undergraduate transfer student
- Mark Potosnak, associate professor of environmental science, College of Science and Health
- Beverly Trezek, professor of counseling and special education, College of Education
The task force is expected to complete its work in June.