Report of the Semester Conversion Task Force - California State ...

Semester Conversion Task Force ReportIf the University moves forward with semester conversion, The Task Force recommends:• A three-year conversion schedule—including clearly-defined milestones and checkpoints—so thatthe transition may occur in a transparent and well-organized manner, and a two-year period within thisschedule for curriculum conversion.• The semester calendar not officially commence before Fall 2013.• A calendar of two semesters per academic year, each including 14 weeks of instructional days, oneweek for finals, and up to one week for non-instructional days to accommodate holidays.• A significant increase in front-line staff resources to provide necessary and more individualizedservices to students, and additional staff to support conversion projects and processes (such asrecord transfer).• The development and distribution of a pledge to all students to assure support toward timelygraduation, as well as Individualized Advising Plans (IAPs), and the implementation of a mandatoryadvising system for transition and conversion periods.• The acquisition or development of software to support online curriculum proposal and review.• A flexible menu of curriculum conversion options within departments/divisions/schools ranging frommechanical conversion to more traditional faculty revision of courses and programs.• Substantial funding of faculty release time units (URT) during conversion for faculty training,curriculum conversion, and college review, as well as transitional student advisement.• The establishment of several new committees and/or offices, including an ad hoc ConversionCoordination Committee (CCC), Semester Conversion Office (SCO), Student CommunicationCommittee (SCC), and a standing Committee for University Transformation.3