The Whitworthian

Issue date: 12/4/07 Last Updated: 2/13/08

About 94 percent of students said they had a positive Jan Term experience, according to a survey conducted by the Jan Term Task Force last spring.

Jan Term is less than six weeks away and will begin Jan. 7.

The Jan Term Task Force met last spring and this fall to discuss Jan Term, said Warren Friedrichs, professor of kinesiology, faculty executive vice president and chair of the Jan Term Task Force. 

The task force is made up of seven faculty members and associate dean for instruction Barb Sanders, Friedrichs said. 

Friedrichs said some faculty equity issues led to the formation of the task force, which has met periodically for the past 25 or 30 years. 

"The last one [report] was about seven years ago," Friedrichs said. 

Friedrichs said a student survey about Jan Term was conducted via e-mail last April over a period of four or five days. The task force received more than 700 responses, Friedrichs said.

The report contains student comments, as well as reports from department chairs about how well Jan Term works for their particular department, Friedrichs said. 

According to the Jan Term task force recommendations, the results were presented at a Oct. 2 Faculty Assembly meeting.  

The final report was submitted on Oct. 29, according to the recommendations.  

Friedrichs said there will not be any major structural changes to Jan Term as a result of the survey.

"Our summation was that our offerings meet our goals for gen ed, major courses and electives," Friedrichs said. "There shouldn't be a shift in the next few years."

Student response 

Friedrichs said the results of the survey showed that students said it was easier to focus on one course at a time, rather than three or four. 

"Jan Term was well received by students," Friedrichs said. "I think the change of pace is something we picked up."

According to the survey results and analysis, 49.6 percent of students surveyed strongly agreed or agreed with the statement, "In general, Jan Term classes have a reputation of being not as demanding as fall or spring classes."

Friedrichs said Jan Term is easier on students' fall and spring course loads. If students plan accordingly, Jan Term courses can give students one free semester over the course of four years, Friedrichs said. 

Friedrichs said there were 300 written responses on the surveys under the comments section. Many of them reflected that students want more on-campus activities during Jan Term, Friedrichs said. 

"Students said they want more activities during Jan Term," Friedrichs said. "However, this is hard because Student Life loses some of their staffing over Jan Term."

Friedrichs said the Jan Term report also includes student opinions about curriculum. 

Friedrichs said there should continue to be innovative courses offered during Jan Term. The 4-1-4 calendar system is fairly unique, he said.

Former president Mark L. Koehler aided in the development of innovative programs such as Jan Term, according to the Whitworth Web site "About Whitworth University- Mission & Heritage" section. 

In addition, students want courses for their major and general education courses to be offered during Jan Term, Friedrichs said.

According to the survey results and analysis, 29.8 percent of students surveyed said they strongly agreed or agreed with the statement, "I think Jan Term should be primarily used to complete General Education courses."

Survey results and analysis revealed that 25.6 percent of students surveyed strongly agreed or agreed with the statement, "I think Jan Term should be primarily used to complete major/minor courses."

Enrollment and growth

The total number of undergraduates enrolled in Jan Term has increased by 16 percent since 2000, according to the frequently asked questions about Jan Term staffing assignments.

In 2000, there were 1,403 undergrads enrolled in Jan Term programs. In 2007, the number of enrolled Jan Term students increased to 1,670, according to the frequently asked questions.

According to the 2005-10 strategic report, the growth rate will be sustained at 2 percent per year.

"We anticipate two new course offerings [during Jan Term] per year, due to growth," Friedrichs said.

During Jan Term last year, there were 72 on-campus, 15 off-campus and 25 P.E. sections offered, according to the frequently asked questions.

Faculty equity issues

Friedrichs said some of the faculty equity issues involving Jan Term include a debate about distribution of work among faculty members teaching large classes with 50 or more students versus smaller classes, taking students on study tours, among other things. 

He said some faculty members are given a study release, or mini-sabatical, during Jan Term. 

Friedrichs said only three to six faculty members were approved for a release this January.

According to the frequently asked questions, four faculty received release during Jan Term last year. 

"A very minimal number of faculty get Jan Term off," Friedrichs said.

The release frees faculty from their teaching responsibilities and allows them to conduct research, Friedrichs said.

He said it is hard to quantify faculty release. Also, faculty who take release over Jan Term still end up teaching a full load of classes during the fall or spring semester, which can be difficult, Friedrichs said.

According to Chapter 8, Section IV of the Faculty Handbook, mini-sabbaticals are competitive and encourage faculty to engage in scholarship. Mini-sabbaticals are spread throughout the academic year, according to the handbook.

Friedrichs said one goal is to better equip faculty for teaching Jan Term, especially in terms of training new faculty.

Task force recommendations

Friedrichs said the Jan Term Task Force made 11 recommendations of ways that Jan Term could be improved.

According to the recommendations, several of these issues include Jan Term releases for faculty, student opinions of Jan Term, curriculum, off-campus study programs, department chairs feedback, Registrar's issues, May Term options and the promotion of Jan Term.

Friedrichs said the recommendations reflect registration issues and a lack of classroom space.

"There are lots of nine to noon classes, but not many in the afternoons," he said.

Friedrichs said the task force is working to try to expand the number of afternoon classes.

"Afternoon classes don't seem to be a student deterrent," he said.

Friedrichs said the task force has also thought about giving students the option of taking a course during May Term in lieu of Jan Term.

"We explored offering more May Term classes," he said. 

Friedrichs said it would be nice to have more study tours during May because the weather would be better. He said the task force also looked at how Whitworth promotes Jan Term.  

"Admissions is thinking about making a brochure about it [Jan Term]," Friedrichs said. 

He said Jan Term could also be advertised more in freshman seminar classes. 

Contact Julie Wootton at julie.wootton@whitworthian.com.

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