A schedule makeover

Before too long, students will be receiving their fall class schedules. While some students may not be sure which classes they will be taking, the University is certain when they will be.

Penn's academic calendar is set for the fall, and has been for some time. So has the University's schedule for classes, breaks and holidays through 2007.

But while these dates are already set, they should not be set in stone. Before Penn locks in the calendar for the next decade, it would be worth looking into a few new conventions that would make the academic plan more friendly for everyone.

The Undergraduate Assembly recently suggested a few changes that would have classes begin earlier and add another reading day, among other things.

This is a good start, but schedule reform should go further. A revamp of both fall and spring calendars is necessary to better fit the needs of students.

The University of California, Berkeley, adopted a set of guidelines last fall that would also work well for Penn. In addition to specifying the number of class days for each term, the calendar mandates "a fall semester that begins in late August and ends no later than Dec. 20."

As it stands now, Penn's classes begin in September -- Sept. 7 this fall -- which is too late. Pushing this date up in the calendar would allow for a much-needed travel day before Thanksgiving and room for more reading days in December.

In the spring, Penn should adjust the calendar back one week to accommodate a longer winter break, which would in turn slide spring break to a week that is more in line with other universities'.

Berkeley calls for classes to begin the Tuesday following the Martin Luther King holiday. This would allow for a more reasonable winter break, which at Penn has been too short.

Because some people and departments have already committed to the current schedule for the coming year, these changes cannot be immediately implemented. But they are worth keeping in mind when upcoming schedules are penciled in.

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