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NEWS RELEASE

09-10-03

Contacts:
Arne Hallam, Economics, (515) 294-6741
Annette Hacker, News Service, (515) 294-3720

IOWA STATE UNIVERSITY CALENDAR DISCUSSION RESUMES

AMES, Iowa -- Changes to the academic calendar are under consideration at Iowa State University, but ISU President Gregory Geoffroy wants to hear more from campus groups, students, staff and faculty before making a decision in December.

Two calendars proposals are being considered. One includes a longer winter break and class periods, a shorter semester and a mini-term in January. The other version is the status quo. Geoffroy seeks input from the campus community.

"What are the advantages and disadvantages of these calendar proposals? How can we improve them? These are some of the questions we need to tackle over the next couple of months," Geoffroy said.

Those interested can submit comments, view comments and learn more about the calendar proposals at: http://www.iastate.edu/news/cal/. The Web site includes a "Frequently Asked Questions" section, reports from the Academic Calendar Task Force, and detailed information about the two calendars under consideration. Comments posted to the site will be reviewed by Geoffroy and the Academic Calendar Task Force, led by Professor Arne Hallam, economics department chair.

An April 2002 Faculty Senate resolution calling for a longer break between fall and spring semesters prompted Geoffroy to create a task force to consider academic calendar changes. Geoffroy asked the task force to also consider calendar changes that would better meet the needs of students, faculty and staff and take advantage of such changes in higher education as new course offerings and new ways to deliver information.

The task force developed four calendar proposals that were submitted to the campus community last spring. Geoffroy narrowed those proposals to the current two, after reviewing comments from several thousand faculty, staff and students.

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