The first official College senate meeting of the quarter started off with a heated debate about Otterbein's possible conversion from quarters to semesters.
Concerns arose regarding how the switch will affect the college and whether or not the community will actually benefit.
John Ludlum, co-chair for the semester conversion study sub-committee, provided comparisons of the two systems and then opened the discussion up to the floor.
The semester system would only require 120-132 hours to graduate, while the current quarter system requires 180 hours. Terms would last 15 weeks instead of 10 and students would take an average of four classes per term, instead of three.
Students strongly favor leaving the system as is, with 51.8 percent against the change and only 4.7 percent in favor,
"One of the reasons I came to Otterbein was for the quarter system and six-week break," said senior Lindsay Davis. "There may be some students turned off by that, but some students are also drawn to it. There's a lot of appeal in the quarter system."
The majority of the faculty, on the other hand, disagrees. Only 7.3 percent of faculty strongly opposes the new system while 42.7 percent strongly agree.
"If we go to a semester system we'll have more opportunity and more flexibility," said Abíódún Góké-Paríolá, vice president of Academic Affairs. "It's no advantage to us if everybody else is on semesters and we're on quarters."
Students voiced concerns that Otterbein is being "peer-pressured" into changing its system because of other schools making the transition, including The Ohio State University. However, according to Ludlum, Otterbein began considering semesters before other schools voted to converge.
According to the system plan, any change that is going to happen will occur after current students have graduated.
"If they make the change to semesters it will not affect you," said Góké-Paríolá.
Information about the potential semester conversion can be found on the Strategic Planning Process Web site.
Senate will continue its discussion and vote on the conversion at the next meeting.
Faculty and students also voted to fill 30 positions in nine committees, the largest number of contested elections in recent years, according to Susan Millsap, parliamentarian.
In addition, a bill passed from the curriculum committee which added CHEM 265 (Introduction to Biochemical Techniques) to the course offerings for next year.
"Biochem requires a lot of foundational courses and in this major it hasn't been possible to take an actual biochem class until your senior year," said Jerry Jenkins, chemistry and biochemistry chairperson. "This course will get students an earlier start and allows them to get some hands on experience of a biochemical nature." t&c;
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