Ohio State might be the next university in line to switch from a quarter-based academic calendar to semesters.
Ohio’s four-year public universities on quarters are OSU, The University of Cincinnati, Ohio University, Shawnee State University and Wright State University. It was reported to the Columbus Dispatch that OSU will buy new computer system software from PeopleSoft Enterprise that is necessary for converting to semesters.
Martha Garland, vice provost and dean for undergraduate studies, said the OSU Board of Trustees did not discuss the issue at their meeting on Friday, September 23.
“OSU cannot physically go into semesters without an integrated student information system,” Garland said.
Garland said that an SIS is being built, but the switch would take at least four years.
“Once an SIS is built, OSU can consider changing to semesters but it will not be the determining factor.”
Quarters are generally 10 weeks long, while semesters last 15 weeks.
A change in the academic calendar will change many aspects of OSU students’ experience.
Margaret Wright, a freshman in pre-human development and family science, said switching to semesters would make scheduling less complicated, saying, “it would also be good to have longer breaks, and to be on the same schedule as many of my friends,” Wright said.
Megan Riffee, a freshman in special education, agreed, saying that having holiday breaks at the same time as her friends at other schools would be a positive outcome of changing to semesters.
“I do like quarters so far because if I was in a class that I didn’t enjoy, it only lasts 10 or 11 weeks,” Riffee said. “My opinion varies only because I’ve only been attending class for 2 weeks.”
David Bushman, a junior in electrical and computer engineering, said the quarter system is probably best for OSU students. He said that quarters offer more flexibility, and are shorter than semesters.
“Students doing internships and co-ops do not have to miss an entire half school year when they are involved with these programs, but rather only a quarter if they choose,” Bushman said. “And classes with more difficulty will not linger for an entire semester, but only one quarter.”
“I’m at the end of my college career, with only four quarters left, and if I were to switch to semesters I would be worried about my hours becoming messed up, or not being able to graduate on time,” said Kathleen Holzbach, a junior in speech and hearing science.
“If quarters are working well and seem to have been for many years, I don’t see the need to be like every other school,” she said. “I just feel it is unnecessary.”
