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Augustana Might Move to Semesters

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WVIK News

Faculty at a local college want to change its academic calendar. In a vote of 124 to 47 last week, faculty at Augustana College recommended moving from 10-week trimesters to semesters.

The change would affect the curriculum, including how classes would be scheduled and how many credit hours would be assigned.

Faculty Council Chair Ellen Hay says the idea of moving to semesters at Augustana has been considered for decades, but never got enough support to pass.
 
Hay says the current trimester calendar makes it difficult for Augustana to retain its students.

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If a student gets sick during a trimester, they may be forced to drop out.

The faculty vote will not change anything right away. Current students will remain on trimesters, and the possible switch to semesters would not begin for at least three years. The semester proposal will now go before the Augustana Board of Trustees for a final decision.

 
Faculty previously voted on a possible switch in 2009 and 2012, but the proposal failed both times.

I am currently a senior at Augustana College, majoring in Multimedia Journalism and Mass Communication with a minor in Creative Writing. I serve as the General Manager for WAUG.fm, Augustana's online student radio station and have worked as an intern and DJ at Studstill Media Group. I report on local news for WVIK and am honored and excited to be a part of the news team. I hope to pursue a career in radio broadcasting and an eventual master's degree in English or Communications.