2015

ECCC to pilot 4-day class schedule

The T ru tee< a.pprm_ ~ter pilol uunan ~ September meeung.

ttq:oled ~ and 2!."et);.""JeS 1bere be some academic scaeocc lZ:is on Frida) if~ to accom– modate srudent need. e ~ benefits oon-cr~iuonaJ - sw&nts who find Jt easJer to "'-heduk clas:>e:> ~ full-tune employment." s~ ·' ar. added. "\\'e ab.. ~heve 1t v.111 help us pro\'ide a better leanum! and tead1m2 envtrr 1- ment for our srudents~and facul- Stewart stressed that the col– lege will operate as nonnal on Fridays. with the excepoon of a full slate of classes. Residence halls will maintain their current operational times. The mau. cafeteria v.ill remain open ~sual on Fridays, and will ~ju b egi•nni•ng 1ts breakfast. lunch and dmn hours Monda) ilirou£ pea CS:::::I:!Cll!S ,........ Cr -

East Central Commurut) College President Dr. Billy Stewart said a four-Oay class schedule has been shown to improve student completion and retention rates at other commu– nity colleges in Mississippi, which aligns with ECCC's 2020 Vision strategic plan. "Two of the institutional commitments of 2020 Vision are Student Success and Teaching and Leaming:· said Stewart, who initiated the strate– gic planning process in 2012. "Everything we do is aimed at ensuring the academic and life success of our students. Research at colleges we consult– ed that are currently operating on a four-Oay class schedule indicates that student learning is enhanced, and that is what we hope the four-Oay class schedule will accomplish at East Central Community College." Under the pilot program, the college will hold classes Monday through Thursday, with Friday beingdevoted to learning and studying opportunities for students and professional devel– opment and advising opportuni– ties for faculty. "Fridays will be an opportu– nity for students to participate in learning activities outside of the classroom, such as internships and the Success Center, as well as band, choir, intercollegiate athletics and other extn1curricu– lar activities," explained Stewart. "Faculty will be avail– able for office visits from stu-

and 1SStJeS tnat are being ~ pnor 10 imple– menlalion. The pilot four-day class ~hedule v.ill be u::.ed dunng both the "Pnng 2016 and fall 2016 semester.) so that the col– lege can ~ the effects of the

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January

Thursday to accommodrue ro- dent!> under the ne•.\ class~­ ule. Ith anticipated th.al ~10.'lday and Wednesday cl~ periods in the four-Oa} class schedule \I.ill mirror the current Tuesday and Thursday class periods. \\ hich are an hour and 20 minutes in length. Holmes, Meridian , Mississippi Delta and Northeast Mississippi community colleges in Mississippi all operate on a four-Oay class schedlJ.le. East Central administrators visited Northeast Mississippi Community College in the spring 2015, and consulted with the other colleges. Stewart said while East Central's goal is to enhance stu- dent success and learningoppor– tunities, there are other benefits of a four-Oay class schedule. East Central students will now have more and longer activity periods during the week.The four-

beginrung that this is simply a pilot program and may or may not be as successful at East Central Community College as it has been at our peer institu– tions," Stewart noted. "But our 2020 \~ - ,.. 'tr° '::le I ., J>l. "lb .: ~-:IOD dents through the 1mennon~ implementation of evidence– based initiatives so they can achieve their full potential and meet their life goals, and we believe a four-day class sched– ule has the potential to do just that."

schedule for a full year, includ– ing for first-time incoming freshmen who enter East Central in August 2016. Faculty and student surveys will be administered and data ~ments ~ student .a– Udt~ ~unng :.."le ~Jo semesten. before dete~g whether to recommend adoptmn of the four-Oay class schedule long-term. Stewart said surveys at other institutions show that faculty and students prefer the four-day class schedule and believe it _has enhanced teaching and Jearrung. "We have stressed from the e

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