The Faculty Senate is currently considering a proposal to change the University's block scheduling system. The proposed switch would create class blocks on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons, as opposed to the current system's Tuesday and Friday afternoons, and would change the starting times of certain class blocks, among other changes, according to an e-mail to the Justice from University Registrar Mark Hewitt. In addition to the proposed changes to the block scheduling system, the University is currently in the process of implementing systematic changes, that would force class enrollment limits to be approved by the Dean's Curriculum Committee and Dean of Arts and Sciences Adam Jaffe, according to an e-mail to the Justice from Jaffe.

While no decisions have been publicized, Dean of the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences and chair of the Block Scheduling Committee Malcolm Watson wrote in an e-mail to the Justice that he expects the Faculty Senate will make a recommendation regarding the proposed changes to the block scheduling system to the provost soon, who will then make the final decision on any changes.

Prof. Tim Hickey (COSI), chair of the Faculty Senate, confirmed in an interview with the Justice that Hewitt and Watson presented a report to the Faculty Senate detailing four different block scheduling proposals, but he declined to comment on the specific proposals of the Faculty Senate at this point.

Watson wrote in a follow-up e-mail to the Justice that he thought of three different proposals. The first, which was submitted last year and suggested more radical changes by changing all three-times-a-week courses to Monday, Wednesday and Friday, is no longer under consideration. The second proposal leaves three-times-a-week classes on Monday, Wednesday and Thursday "but modifies other blocks, mainly by utilizing Thur. afternoon and evening," he wrote. Watson continued to write that the third option is blended and offers some classes on a Monday, Wednesday and Thursday basis and some classes on a Monday, Wednesday and Friday basis, but it would have basically the same afternoon schedule as the second option.

If the second option were adopted, only afternoon schedules would change. Whereas afternoon classes are currently scheduled on a Monday/Wednesday and Tuesday/Friday block system, they would instead be scheduled on a Monday/Wednesday and Tuesday/Thursday block schedule. Watson explained that the changes are advantageous to the University because "we can more effectively use the time we have each week because we will be able to use Thursday afternoons for full scheduling of classes."

Watson also wrote that under the proposed system, two 80-minute blocks may also be combined to form three-hour class blocks. Additionally, classes could be scheduled until 9:30 p.m., according to Hewitt, and classes would not be scheduled later than 2 p.m. on Friday afternoons, excluding "special classes, such as labs and advanced graduate seminars."

Watson wrote that the proposed changes would simplify the class schedule by starting classes on the hour or half hour.

As an example, Watson wrote that a certain block may now start at 10 a.m. and end at 10:50 a.m. rather than beginning at 10:10 a.m. and ending at 11 a.m.

Watson wrote that by changing the starting time of classes, "we will be aligned with most administrative meetings and events on campus." Additionally, according to Watson, there will be greater flexibility in combining blocks or scheduling classes that meet more than three times per week.

While Watson wrote that he was not aware of any decisions made by the Faculty Senate, he wrote that any changes would go into effect in the "next academic year at the earliest."

In regard to imposing limits on capping class sizes, Jaffe wrote in an e-mail to the Justice that the University is enacting a proposal that will limit enrollment caps on classes. According to Jaffe, "except for foreign language classes, calculus classes and classes in which there is a physical constraint on the number of students who can be accommodated, all proposed enrollment caps need to be approved by the dean's curriculum committee and then by [the Dean of Arts and Sciences]."

Jaffe wrote that the goal of the change is to ensure that University resources are used effectively. The changes were detailed in a report from the Dean's Curriculum Committee released in May.