The Xavierite
Saint Xavier University is overhauling their Summer course programs in an effort to better accommodate students, and make Saint Xavier University a premiere destination for students looking to take Summer courses. The new programs will begin this upcoming May and June terms for students looking to enroll in taking Summer classes to get ahead in their course work.
Provost Paul DeVito outlined some of the changes to the program that involve pricing and quality of the programs being introduced. DeVito explained that one of the first things done when considering an overhaul of the original Summer program was an examination of what courses students wanted to take and why. These questions were asked via focus groups aimed at diving into the motivations behind students taking Summer classes.
DeVito explained that results showed that students were looking to take courses over the Summer that offered more electives than general education courses. Students also expressed their concern over the cost of taking courses at Saint Xavier University over the Summer.
DeVito explained that the decision was made to lower the cost per credit hour to help bring more students into the Summer and May programs offered at Saint Xavier. The new cost will be below the past average academic year’s cost per credit hour. This lesser cost is what hopefully will draw students away from attending local community colleges over Saint Xavier University for Summer course work.
Another change is that more electives will be offered to students this upcoming Summer and May term in order to provide more course options to students who are looking to have more variety in course selection. DeVito views this variety as a good thing for students who are looking for a particular class to take over the Summer that they may not necessarily be able to take elsewhere.
Course quality is another selling point that DeVito believes will help bring students to Saint Xavier to take courses during the May and Summer terms. With the support of research evidence, DeVito explained that students are given a more quality educational experience in courses taken at Saint Xavier University than at other outside community colleges. The reasoning for this is that the smaller course sizes at Saint Xavier allow for more attention to be paid to students taking Summer courses.
Dean of Graduate and Continuing Education, Becky Copper-Glenz also has expressed her excitement for the new Summer and May terms when she detailed how the programs will offer students options to take courses when they can afford time to.
As stated by Copper-Glenz, “The Academic Departments are trying to offer courses in a variety of formats to help accommodate different schedules. These formats include online course options, evening courses, day-time courses with some online components and also traditional day time classes.”
These options to take classes at different time and different channels are meant to provide students the best options to take course work based around their own schedules, something most students with full time jobs and families will appreciate. Course length has also been adjusted according to what professors believe will work as an accurate period of time in order to fit their proper curriculum in for their course. This means courses can range in the number of weeks they last based on how the professor sees fit to teach the material.
The benefits of the Summer and May terms are best outlined by Copper-Glenz who said, “Overall, myself and the other members of the summer planning team strongly believe in the value of Saint Xavier’s education and that students who enroll in summer classes benefit in terms of the reduced cost of tuition during the summer, the personalized attention and smaller class sizes and participation in summer term moves students one step closer to graduation.”
Many of the Summer and May term courses will also focus on creating degrees of flexibility on the time in which you can take the course. Online courses serve as a means to take the course around your own busy schedule.
Courses are also to be offered in the day time and night to better fit with students work schedules according to DeVito.
Even if you cannot fit all of your courses into the upcoming Spring semester there are always Summer options available to students.
For more information on Summer and May terms at Saint Xavier University, speak with your guidance counselor, for more information on enrollment, students can visit www.sxu.edu and search for Summer sessions.
Jake Alleruzzo
Senior News Editor
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