DVC switching to shorter semesters in 2018

Isaac Norman, Staff member

Starting Fall 2018, Diablo Valley College will shorten its semesters from 18 to 16 weeks.

The United Faculty union that represents faculty members throughout the Contra Costa Community College District approved the change by a vote of 94 percent earlier on Thursday, Feb. 9th.

Working with the governing board of 4CD, faculty members concluded the compressed schedule should be able to help students stay in school and provide more funding.

The schedule change potentially allows more opportunities to take classes in the summer and also could create a winter semester.

A shorter semester would also benefit students who have families by allowing their school schedules to better match those of their children.

“In representing faculty I was really struck by how everybody’s concerns really were about what’s good for the students…People really weren’t talking about whether it’s good for me or not they were trying to figure out whether my students will do well in a shorter semester,” said UF Executive Director Jeffrey Michels.

The agreement will now go to the 4CD Governing Board where it will be ratified at the next meeting.