A Proposal On Large Classes
APSCUF-KU
14 September 2006
Summary
Kutztown University enters a new school year struggling to enact policies that will manage growth in a fair and equitable manner. At the heart of this issue is the new Academic Forum. The building reflects a desire by school management to make education more cost effective. Subsequently, class sizes in an array of courses have risen dramatically. University faculty have raised numerous concerns regarding the impact that this will have on pedagogy, curriculum standards, student access to faculty, retention, graduation rates, office hours, special needs students, and faculty governance. What follows is an APSCUF-KU proposal that is intended to mitigate the impact of new large classes on the students, parents, the faculty, and the university community.
We propose that the university administration accept a compromise on courses to be offered in the Academic Forum. We propose to reduce the number of large classes taught in this building. Further, we propose that the balance of courses remaining will be offered in smaller sections that reflect their original size. We believe that this plan offers the following advantages:
For Students
Small classes and greater contact with faculty enhance the learning experience.
Smaller classes will support retention at Kutztown and success after graduation.
Students deserve a choice in course selection. This is particularly the case for majors that depend on the courses being taught in the Academic Forum.
The Kutztown University mission statement commits this institution to “Prepare Kutztown University students to meet lifelong intellectual, ethical, social, and career challenges and responsibilities.”1 We believe that the Academic Forum fails to support the basic mission of this university.
For Parents
Parents send their children to Kutztown University with the expectation that access to faculty, particularly in the early stages of a student’s career, will be the rule rather than the exception.
College tuition increases are predicated on the assumption that education will improve.
For Faculty
Because faculty were not included in the decision making process for the Academic Forum, very few have had the time or opportunity to amend curriculum being placed in the Academic Forum. This raises pedagogical as well as contractual issues that need to be addressed.
For University Administration
The university requires time to construct policies that will mitigate the impact of the Academic Forum. These efforts may include arrangements for the use of graduate students, proctors, or other support. These efforts may also include compensation to faculty for increased teaching loads, discussion of the impact of large classes on tenure and promotion decisions, and other issues.
The university needs time to create an IT system adequate for the Academic Forum. Given the current campus-wide difficulties with technology support for classrooms, this is a significant concern.
The specific content of our proposal is included below.
Current Large Total Proposed Large Proposed Regular Total New Faculty
Class Sections Students2 Class Sections Class Sections3 Students Credit Hours
Business
BUS 131 3 255 2 2 255 6 cr.
ECO 011 3 450 2 3 450 9 cr.
ECO 012 3 400 2 2 400 6 cr.
21 cr.
Education
EDU 100 4 375 2 4 375 12 cr.
HPD 110 6 900 4 6 900 18 cr.
30 cr.
LAS
ANT 010 3 450 2 3 450 9 cr.
SOC 010 4 600 3 3 600 9 cr.
CRJ 010 5 490 - - 490 0 cr.4
HIS 014 3 360 2 3 360 9 cr.
HIS 015 2 240 1 3 180 9 cr.
HIS 025 2 240 1 3 360 9 cr.
HIS 026 3 600 2 3 360 9 cr.
POL 010 4 600 2 5 600 15 cr.
PSY 011 5 6005 3 3 600 9 cr.
78 cr.
Visual &
Performing
Arts
ARH 024 1 150 0 2 150 6 cr.
ARH 025 3 450 2 3 450 9 cr.
THE 015 4 600 2 4 600 12 cr.
27 cr.
Conclusion
Our proposal will cost Kutztown University 13 full time positions. We believe that this a reasonable sacrifice to make for the sake of our students and the institution.
We are prepared to discuss this matter with the administration at local Meet & Discuss or in a larger forum.
1 Kutztown University, Undergraduate Catalogue, 2005-2007, 7.
2 The number of students in some sections differs from department to department.
3 Departments may determine how many students are in regular sections.
4 CRJ 010 is broken down into two 175 seat classes; two 50 seat classes; and one 40 seat class for the Spring 2007 semester.
5 There is one additional PSY 011 course of 25 seats also being taught in the Spring 2007 semester.