Q&A
Bruce McCombe
is SUNY Distinguished Professor in the Department of Physics and dean of the College of Arts and Sciences.
I understand the College of Arts and Sciences has expanded its course offerings for summer 2009. Tell me about that.
For years, evening and summer sessions were managed through Millard Fillmore College, but most of those functions were transferred to the College of Arts and Sciences several years ago. With the current budget situation and severe enrollment pressure during the academic year on a number of introductory courses that are required for various programs, we see an expansion of the summer session as a way to optimize the use of limited facilities and space, and absorb much of the enrollment pressure while generating some revenue. In the long term, the UB 2020 plan to grow the university by 10,000 students may necessitate making summer a “third semester.” While this is a university-wide effort, it will be primarily CAS-focused in summer 2009. In the long term, our aim is to make UB a much more vibrant place in the summer by offering more in-service courses for those looking to further their education, more lecture series and more entertainment-oriented activities. Many of our facilities are underutilized and available in the summer; why not use them to the full advantage of students and the community?
Who would be interested in taking summer classes?
Summer courses have appeal for students looking to reduce their course load during the regular academic year; students who would like to ensure graduation on time or early, but are having trouble getting into required courses due to lack of space and facilities; entering freshmen who would like to get a head start on their coursework; and Western New Yorkers who attend colleges or universities elsewhere but would like to take a course or two while home for the summer.
Are that many students having trouble getting into their required courses?
Over the past three to five years, we’ve had at least 1,000 more students each year taking science lab courses. There are some chemistry, biology, physics and math courses that fill up quickly due to limited seating related to physical space and lab facility constraints. By offering more sections of these courses during the summer, we can relieve the pressure during the academic year. There also are some courses that lend themselves particularly well to study during the summer, such as language courses, which benefit from being taught over a shorter time span during the summer; the compressed nature of the course really immerses the student in the study of the language.
What kinds of courses are being offered?
The College of Arts and Sciences is offering 40 new courses during the summer of 2009, ranging from an online version of psychology to political science, to media study to classics. Most are for undergraduates, although a small number of master’s-level courses will be offered. We hope to expand the selection of master’s courses in coming summers. Click here to see the summer class schedule.
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