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RIT switching to semesters from quarters

ProfPanglossProfPangloss
edited February 2010 in News
http://www.rit.edu/news/?v=47321

Starting in fall of 2013, RIT will be operating on a semester-based system. I'm not sure what to think about this, as I'm not there yet. RIT students/alumni, thoughts?
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Comments

  • trogdor9trogdor9
    I came here to post this. It's disappointing that Destler is willing to go against the vast majority of students like this. *sigh*
  • George PatchesGeorge Patches
    I'll speak for the people who have no idea what this means.

    So?
  • RymRym
    edited February 2010
    Fuck!

    This, seriously, greatly reduces my recommendations to anyone to attend the school. The quarter system was responsible for many of the student fail-outs, and was a big part of what made RIT a challenging and rewarding institution. It allowed far greater specialization and class granularity, and forced students to maintain a terribly rigorous regime. It was also one of the main things that drew me to the school initially.

    Fail, RIT. Fail.
    Post edited by Rym on
  • ......
    My uni had semesters. Which were divided in two. I don't see the problem unless they actually start teaching less instead of grouping stuff a bit more.
  • theknoxinatortheknoxinator
    I personally have no issue with the semester system. It did fine by me in my education. It does have the disadvantage of not allowing as much specialization, but that also comes down to the school and what they value. In my particular major, most of the classes were pretty much, there is one option, and you have to take it. But that's because my university didn't think it was necessary to have options for a major that only gets around 5 people per year, in a school where they get 1000+ students per year. They had a lot of options for other majors.
  • AprecheApreche
    Booo-urns. RIT Fail.
  • MrRobotoMrRoboto
    edited February 2010
    Semesters mean either more time spent getting a degree, reduced curriculum, or more lenient testing (as people don't complain as much when its just a 3 month setback rather than 6)
    Post edited by MrRoboto on
  • KieyKiey
    I went to a semester school for undergrad, and now doing grad school at RIT, and I've loved the quarter system. It's a lot more work, and it keeps you busy, but I feel like I've learned a whole lot more. Basically my feelings are along the same lines as Rym's.
  • TheWhaleSharkTheWhaleShark
    Quarters really force you to learn how to prioritize your workload, and where to put your efforts. That's why RIT has been one of the best schools for professional workforce preparation. I also think that a quarter system keeps your education more engaging; since you change classes more often than with a semester system, you get fresh information more frequently. Also, as Rym said, it allows for much greater specialization and a great degree of customization in your course load.

    I'll reserve judgment until I hear more from undergrads, but I do not think this will bode well for the school.
  • trogdor9trogdor9
    The weird thing is that most students (85%) were in favor of the quarter system, and student government officially voted (all but one or two Senators) to recommend not switching. However, in a "secret" vote for "curiosity only," every member of Student Government recommended switching. This vote, which was explicitly explained as "only for curiosity's sake," was sent to the President in their recommendation letter.
  • TheWhaleSharkTheWhaleShark
    The weird thing is that most students (85%) were in favor of the quarter system, and student government officially voted (all but one or two Senators) to recommend not switching. However, in a "secret" vote for "curiosity only,"every member of Student Governmentrecommended switching. This vote, which was explicitly explained as "only for curiosity's sake," was sent to the President in their recommendation letter.
    That's pretty fucked up right there.
  • YoshoKatanaYoshoKatana
    I agree that the quarter system is superior for RIT specifically, for the same reasons that were given above. Also, fuck their bullshit backhanded politics.
  • TheWhaleSharkTheWhaleShark
    I read the President's reasons for his decision to switch.

    I really, honestly, truly think that he wants to be known as the President that "fixed" RIT's retention rate.

    Really, this will probably hurt the school's reputation in the long run.
  • ProfPanglossProfPangloss
    If the vast majority of RIT students are against the changes, which seems to be the case, is there some way to get this decision revoked?
  • TheWhaleSharkTheWhaleShark
    edited February 2010
    If the vast majority of RIT students are against the changes, which seems to be the case, is there some way to get this decision revoked?
    Protest? Massive, continued outspokenness is the only way.

    Actually, you might try going after alumni who donate to the school. Tell them what's going on and about the shady bullshit that's been pulled, and convince them to cease donation and explain their reasoning to the school.

    Gotta hit 'em in the wallet or make enough bad press that it'll hurt their bottom line. They probably won't listen to you otherwise.
    Post edited by TheWhaleShark on
  • trogdor9trogdor9
    edited February 2010
    If anyone was curious about SG being stupid, you can read this leaked document. Also, this is a document containing the results of the student survey.
    If the vast majority of RIT students are against the changes, which seems to be the case, is there some way to get this decision revoked?
    No, this is pretty much it. The chance to prevent this decision has passed. The only thing we can really hope for is the switch not going smoothly and them switching it right back. EDIT: Also what Pete said.
    Post edited by trogdor9 on
  • AprecheApreche
    If every student opposed threatened to transfer, and then actually went through with it.
  • RymRym
    I'm going to write a letter to the Alumnae office. Refusal to ever donate again coupled with a refusal to recommend the school to any new students unless the policy is reversed. The alums are the best chance the kids there have to stop this. It's worth a shot.
  • SailSail
    I can't imagine the teachers would be very happy with this, either. It means that they have to completely rework the structure of their classes.
  • KieyKiey
    I was reading over the news announcement for this, and decided that I would simplify the bullet points. As Einstein said "Everything should be made as simple as possible, but no simpler"

    Simplified bullet points for change to semesters:
    • We want money from students transferring in, and from student exchanges.
    • We want less students dropping out so we can make more money.
    • We want U of R and MCCC transfer money.
    • We want money from students stuck in Rochester during the winter break.
    • We want summer class money.
    • Everyone else is doing it!
    • Grasping at straws.
  • AxelAxel
    Well, that sucks. I'm still going to RIT next year (because I applied nowhere else, and I can't afford any other schools that have my major as much as I can RIT), but that pisses me off.
  • YoshoKatanaYoshoKatana
    I'mma post me some flyers.
  • KilarneyKilarney
    Since almost everyone who hires people went to a school that had semesters, will this really make that much of a difference in the real world? RIT alum may value the quarter system, but would those who attended a semester-based school be humble enough to think likewise?
  • AprecheApreche
    Since almost everyone who hires people went to a school that had semesters, will this really make that much of a difference in the real world? RIT alum may value the quarter system, but would those who attended a semester-based school be humble enough to think likewise?
    Regardless of whether or not employers notice or care that you went through a grueling RIT quarter system, the fact is that the quarter system is better value for students. For the same amount of tuition, you get 33% more education. If they want semesters, they should lower tuition by at least 25%.
  • YoshoKatanaYoshoKatana
    For the same amount of tuition, you get 33% more education. If they want semesters, they should lower tuition by at least 25%.
    This. THIS.
  • TheWhaleSharkTheWhaleShark
    Since almost everyone who hires people went to a school that had semesters, will this really make that much of a difference in the real world? RIT alum may value the quarter system, but would those who attended a semester-based school be humble enough to think likewise?
    Well, I will say that the quarter-based system definitely makes one more apt to rapid decision-making and gives one an excellent ability to self-prioritize their work. RIT grads are adept managers. However, they don't produce a lot of Nobel Prize winners or other groundbreaking thinkers. RIT provides you with the tools to succeed handily, but not to excel necessarily. Instead of producing a handful of A+ students and an army of C+ students, RIT produces a large supply of B+ students with some A- guys to spice things up. That's the way I see it, anyhow.
  • AprecheApreche
    edited February 2010
    Well, I will say that the quarter-based system definitely makes one more apt to rapid decision-making and gives one an excellent ability to self-prioritize their work. RIT grads are adept managers. However, they don't produce a lot of Nobel Prize winners or other groundbreaking thinkers. RIT provides you with the tools to succeed handily, but not to excel necessarily. Instead of producing a handful of A+ students and an army of C+ students, RIT produces a large supply of B+ students with some A- guys to spice things up. That's the way I see it, anyhow.
    RITs lack of nobel prize winners I think has little to do with its quarter system, but its lack of mature research and graduate programs. While I was there, they kept trying to beef these up, but with middling results. If you're a computer scientist at MIT, you can spend years in the media lab coming up with all sorts of crazy shit. At RIT, you can do a masters project, get your MS, and...

    RIT graduates could probably become nobel prize winners if they went to other schools for post-graduate work. The problem is that once you have a degree, you already have a ticket to get high paying jobs in the private sector, so the life of research is not super attractive to most. Many RIT professors I knew openly admitted they worked in the private sector every summer. Long term research really isn't their priority.

    The quarter system doesn't really help this, because it does take away a long term mentality. However, it is very possible to produce A+ people with the quarter system. RIT just doesn't do it.
    Post edited by Apreche on
  • CremlianCremlian
    Well, I will say that the quarter-based system definitely makes one more apt to rapid decision-making and gives one an excellent ability to self-prioritize their work. RIT grads are adept managers. However, they don't produce a lot of Nobel Prize winners or other groundbreaking thinkers. RIT provides you with the tools to succeed handily, but not to excel necessarily. Instead of producing a handful of A+ students and an army of C+ students, RIT produces a large supply of B+ students with some A- guys to spice things up. That's the way I see it, anyhow.
    The only problem with that is RIT doesn't believe in -/+ on grades (is bitter because he always had a B+ or a C+ and ended up with a 3.0 or 2.0 added to the GPA instead of some weight :-()
  • TheWhaleSharkTheWhaleShark
    The only problem with that is RIT doesn't believe in -/+ on grades (is bitter because he always had a B+ or a C+ and ended up with a 3.0 or 2.0 added to the GPA instead of some weight :-()
    I'm using them in a more general sense. RIT produces very very capable students who perform very well wherever they go, but may not necessarily be revolutionary.
  • CremlianCremlian
    but may not necessarily be revolutionary.
    That's not what your mom said last night.
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