Twelve-month university operation task force brainstorms for changes to academic calendar
Taylor Muller
Issue date: 11/16/07 Section: News
- Page 1 of 2 next >
UNO is looking into changing its operation to a 12-month academic calendar. The change, says Chancellor John Christensen, will allow the campus to fulfill its goal of becoming a metropolitan university.
A university-wide task force looking into the possible implementation met for the fourth time Wednesday afternoon in the Milo Bail Student Center. The task force, chartered by Christensen on Oct. 3, will make a report to the chancellor by the end of January 2008.
"I have no preconceived notion as to what the answer may be. Based on what the future may hold, full consideration of twelve month operations is very important," said Christensen on the task force's Web site, www.unomaha.edu/12monthplan/model.php.
Focusing on the effects throughout the campus, from localized departments to faculty contracts, the discussion enabled co-chairs Sheri Noren Everts and Scott Tarry to further focus the goals and intent of an altered calendar.
Everts is the interim vice chancellor for academic and student affairs and Tarry is the director of the Aviation Institute and president of UNO Faculty Senate
"We're identifying the things that need to be examined, collecting the data that needs to be examined," said Tarry. "I think the original plan was the taskforce would do its work with the idea that there was a possibility of pilot programs in the summer."
The task force is made up of 25 students, faculty, staff and administrators ranging from deans to coaching staff.
Several of the positives the task force gathered include better parking and utilization of space, more flexibility for students and faculty as well as better alignment with the job market.
"We have an enormous facilities crunch on this campus in terms of providing the quality we expect," said Deb Smith-Howell, associate vice chancellor for student affairs.
Everts agreed with Smith-Howell that use of campus facilities is a major driving force behind the proposal.
A university-wide task force looking into the possible implementation met for the fourth time Wednesday afternoon in the Milo Bail Student Center. The task force, chartered by Christensen on Oct. 3, will make a report to the chancellor by the end of January 2008.
"I have no preconceived notion as to what the answer may be. Based on what the future may hold, full consideration of twelve month operations is very important," said Christensen on the task force's Web site, www.unomaha.edu/12monthplan/model.php.
Focusing on the effects throughout the campus, from localized departments to faculty contracts, the discussion enabled co-chairs Sheri Noren Everts and Scott Tarry to further focus the goals and intent of an altered calendar.
Everts is the interim vice chancellor for academic and student affairs and Tarry is the director of the Aviation Institute and president of UNO Faculty Senate
"We're identifying the things that need to be examined, collecting the data that needs to be examined," said Tarry. "I think the original plan was the taskforce would do its work with the idea that there was a possibility of pilot programs in the summer."
The task force is made up of 25 students, faculty, staff and administrators ranging from deans to coaching staff.
Several of the positives the task force gathered include better parking and utilization of space, more flexibility for students and faculty as well as better alignment with the job market.
"We have an enormous facilities crunch on this campus in terms of providing the quality we expect," said Deb Smith-Howell, associate vice chancellor for student affairs.
Everts agreed with Smith-Howell that use of campus facilities is a major driving force behind the proposal.
Be the first to comment on this story