|
Volume CXXXII, Number 23 |
 |
A warmer semester
As classes draw to a conclusion next week, students will rush to complete their finals, pack their belongings, and exit the premises before the looming housing deadline. As if part of some cruel joke played upon departing underclassmen, it is around this time of the year that coastal Maine begins to experience the first consistent stretches of warm weather. Those students, who, for one reason or another, have remained on campus during any of the summer months, can attest to the benefits of the experience.
While the idea of a summer in Maine is enticing in and of itself, the benefits of a summer term would extend beyond the thermometer. An extended academic year would allow students the opportunity to accumulate needed credits or explore other fields of interest at a level that a two-semester school year might not allow.
The recent faculty measure to cap enrollments in introductory and mid-level classes has significantly cut down on flexibility in class selection and academic exploration, as these newly-capped courses are often important prerequisites for other courses. A summer term would alleviate some of the pressure to get into certain courses during the regular school year by giving students an additional enrollment opportunity. To this end, a summer term would enliven the spirit of the liberal arts on campus and encourage continued academic growth.
We realize that a summer term is not something that can be instituted overnight, and that Bowdoin already offers a number of important offerings on campus over the summer. Even a limited summer term would place new financial demands on the school, demands not easily satisfied in today's economic uncertainty. We only ask that the College entertain the idea of a summer term in the future, as the potential benefits for students outshine even the midsummer Bowdoin sun.
|
FastCounter by bCentral |