On June 7, the University launched its first Summer Session, a five-week intensive summer program covering a semester’s worth of coursework. With 46 students enrolled, including six non-Wesleyan students, the Session was revenue positive, meaning that tuition revenues were greater than salaries and benefits paid to faculty. The program earned $34,720 in revenue before factoring in additional costs such as housing and staffing offices.
“The goals of the session were basically threefold—to create an opportunity for students to learn in this intensive environment, to create an opportunity for faculty to teach, and to earn more revenue for the University,” said Director of Strategic Initiatives Charles Salas. “The last goal was not the most important. We ran [some of the] classes even with so few students and lost some money [on these classes], but we wanted to do it because the program was really about the students and faculty.”
Despite seeing low enrollment in the first year, the University plans to continue the program in summer 2011.
“Overall the program did earn money,” Salas said. “That’s mainly because it was developed and administered by staff in place, and we didn’t create any new infrastructure.”
In addition to nine courses offered during the regular academic year, students could enroll in three new or advanced courses or in two thematic institutes, which were taught by two professors and combined two course topics for two course credits.
The range of courses allowed students to both take on core courses that generally fill up quickly during the school year and explore new subjects. The University also sought to attract students by offering Summer Session courses at a reduced rate and advertising the intimate classroom setting.
“I loved it and so did the students,” wrote Professor of Government Giulio Gallarotti, who taught GOVT 155: International Politics, in an e-mail to The Argus. “We both liked meeting every day and felt like we enjoyed greater continuity. They also liked the small classes a lot. It’s what the Wes experience is supposed to be, but so infrequently is.”
“I liked the small class,” said Isabel Martinez ’12, who enrolled in ECON 300: Quantitative Methods in Economics with about 10 other students. “We got more attention from the professor, even though it was a lecture class. It was intensive, but the whole ‘five weeks and you’re done’ thing was great.”
Professor of Music Po-Wei Weng, who taught a new course entitled MUSC 114: Chinese Music and Theater, was also pleased with the length of the session.
“I think spending four to five weeks taking two courses is a really good idea,” Weng said. “It’s a very different learning experience from the fall or spring. You are very focused, and everything remains fresh until the end of the session.”
Some professors, however, found that the abbreviated length of the session made teaching difficult.
“For subject matters like economics that are cumulative, four weeks compresses things too much and makes it too hard for students to really have it set in their minds,” said Professor of Economics Richard Adelstein, who taught ECON 110: Introduction to Economic Theory to one student over the summer. “I couldn’t understand why it was four weeks to be¬gin with, and I didn’t like that aspect of it. That being said, I loved to teach, and my contact with my student in the classroom was an unmitigated pleasure.”
For professors, teaching during the Summer Session also made it difficult for them to engage fully in their own projects and research.
“I enjoyed it, even though trying to keep up my usual summer research (I had multiple writing commitments) while teaching was very tiring,” said Professor of Philosophy Joe Rouse, who taught PHIL 214: Justice and Reason.
Adelstein agreed, explaining that the daily meetings often left him very tired.
“I had the time, I just didn’t have the energy,” he said. “I thought that I could both research and teach, but I couldn’t, and I think that I underestimated the in¬tensity of the experience.”
Overall, however, faculty and students alike have expressed general satis¬faction with the first Summer Session, according to Salas.
“I’m very happy about the fact that the faculty themselves have great¬ly enjoyed the experience, especially because it’s very strenuous to take on these small classes, which is not at all the same as teaching during the regular school year,” he said.
According to Director of Residential Life (ResLife) Fran Koerting, only fifteen students request¬ed on-campus housing, who were sub¬sequently placed in a woodframe at 231 Pine St. Because the group was so small, the University was unable to hire a staff member to be on-call at the house.
“In future years, we’d much pre¬fer all students be in a larger program house, with a staff person living there,” Koerting said. “It depends on the numbers, but we’re thinking of 202 and 230 Washington St. for next year. These houses are larger, have good size kitchens, and are very close to each other, which would be good if we need to occupy both houses.”
Salas explained that the University may consider the addition of a second Summer Session in the future, for stu¬dents who wish to take on credits later in the summer. This option, however, may not be seriously considered until enrollment increases.
“The priority right now is to make it a part of Wesleyan,” Salas said. “It’s hard to get students to even consider doing it, but I hope that they will even¬tually take the opportunity to consider and take part in the program them¬selves.”
In the coming weeks, the Educational Policy Committee will be reviewing the Summer Session to deter¬mine ways in which the program can be improved.
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