The traditional student is the ultimate focus of summer programs by Continuing Education, International ‘ Summer Programs (CEISP). This involves both the University’s summer courses integrated into the academic program and credit workshops.
The summer courses are broken up into two six-week sessions and one eight-week session. Students have the opportunity to retake classes or graduate earlier with summer programs.
According to Anita Knauss, director of marketing and promotions, between 30 and 60 summer workshops are also provided to students. These workshops span a few weeks and give students one credit. They are offered in a wide variety of fields and interests such as Rings/Hand Ornamentation; Views of Jesus Over Time; The Political Influence of Popular Music, Television and Film; The Popular Culture of Sex; and Problem Solving With Legos.
With summer programs, the registration process is less complicated for students. Registration begins on one day, Feb. 11 for summer 2002. Students do not have to worry about certain times to sign up because, unlike fall and spring semesters, the registration time period is not broken by birth dates and seniority. Instead, it is on a first-come, first-serve basis. The registration process for summer classes is also made easier, since fewer students enroll.
Senior Mary Ellen Bolger has taken summer classes and has found both positives and negatives with them. “You get class done quickly, but you don’t get the detailed education you get during the normal semesters,” she said. “Smaller classes and more laid back teachers are also benefits.”
Since the summer semester is not an additional semester versus a set part of the school year, there are fewer student activities and services available. This makes the cost of summer classes cheaper. Currently, the cost per credit hour for summer is $262 versus $284 for spring.
“Our main focus is not to turn students away,” said Judy Donald, director of summer programs.
Donald works to get more class sections added for courses that fill up. These vary each semester, and are based upon the needs of the students. According to Donald, it is easier to add sections in the summer because there are not as many students taking classes.
In June 2002, summer programs is offering the “BiG Summer Advantage” to encourage students to take summer classes and graduate in four years. Introduced last summer, the “BiG Summer Advantage” gives students a rebate if they graduate after the summer semester. Students are eligible if they were first-time freshmen who entered in 1998 and are graduating in summer 2002.
Last year 178 students out of the 453 eligible students utilized the “BiG Summer Advantage,” and received a rebate of $300 from the University in September after they graduated.
“It is a way to entice students to utilize summer classes and to graduate in four years,” Donald said.
Accompanying the post-graduation rebate is a discount on residence hall rooms. Students are given partial grants on rooms in residence halls during the summer semester they take classes. Last summer, a $200 residence hall scholarship was offered to students for a six-week minimum stay. Students desiring this type of grant for summer 2002 must apply for it by April 25.
