Otterbein senate sealed J-term’s fate at the Nov. 21 meeting. Senate voted to end J-term after 2014 with a Cardinal term and May term as replacements.
Much of the student body left before the vote on the 13-14/5 bill, but it passed, 114-44.
An amendment to bill 13-14/5 was passed that instituted a task force to explore the “mission and vision” of immersive term options. Two other amendments were attached to this amendment to include a graduate committee and to include staff into these committees. Another amendment was voted down that would have been attached to 13-/5 to extend the deadline when committees would have reported their findings after one year.
The voting system was changed from the previous meetings so that as each senate member arrived, they received colored cards to vote with. Each was given green, meaning yes, and red, meaning no. Dean Gatti´s previous rules restricting the right to vote to senate members was also enforced, due to reported cases of unauthorized voting last meeting.
Prindle, the author of the bill, said that the new May term and Cardinal term will be implemented for two years to test it out. The terms may include some four and two hour credit hour choices along with some courses that involve traveling. She stated that the addition of both May term and Cardinal term will give students a choice to either get involved in four credit hour classes or internship and job opportunities.
The third year of having J-term will also be the last because Otterbein found that it was not reaching the appropriate amount of accreditation due to the change from quarters to semesters. It was also seen as not financially viable despite the fee required for students wanting to attend.
Susan Millsap, communication professor and parliamentary member of senate, said she thinks the new terms suggested are a good compromise.
Question arose regarding what resources a Cardinal term and a May term would require and President Kathy Krendl said the terms would be put under a “budgetary analysis”, or a check to see if the terms are financially possible or efficient.
Other senate members voiced their concerns about current J-term courses that involved outside partnerships such as the Columbus Zoo. The new terms would be discussed with the companies hiring students to determine if they can adjust to the new schedule.
