Summer vs Regular Curriculum

The six weeks Summer School curriculum at Shaw is the same as the four month Fall and Spring Semesters. For some course syllabuses given out at the beginning of summer school the work required to pass the course is the same as what is required for the fall and spring versions of the same courses. When I interviewed Dr. Deloris Jerman, Assistant Vice President for Academic Affairs Program Review, she made it clear that there are certain requirements that have to be met. SACS, the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, requires that students have 45 contact hours of class. She said. Dr Jerman made the point that it is the student’s choice as to what classes they take. She said that “Students know who the difficult teachers are and tell each other not to take them.” She suggested that the students could take “less challenging” courses in the summer. Shenetta Farmer is now a Divine School student at Shaw. She will receive her Masters in December 2011. While she was an undergrad in the School of Religion and Philosophy she attended summer school at Shaw. Farmer said “There was a whole lot of reading but no retention. It was just to pass the test.” Her suggestion is that Shaw should “Either lessen the work or extend summer school.” Arlene Smith is a Social Work Major at the Raleigh CAPE. She said she has 8 papers to write this summer plus reading assignments and tests.Smith said, “The practice is unfair especially for CAPE students.” According to Dr Courtney Lamar, Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs for Academic Quality, there are 722 students registered for summer school 2010. Students may a take courses over the summer because they failed that course; either in the previous spring or fall semester. Students also go to summer school to take a course that has to be taken in sequence. For example; Radio production 1 and 2. Sometimes when a course is offered over the summer it may not be offered again until the following spring. So he or she would have to wait to take that course. This could put the student behind. Whatever the reason summer school is a unique experience maybe it should be planned and taught differently.