Editor:
This letter is written to clarify the article that appeared in the Wildcat on Monday, Oct. 9 ("Faculty Senate rejects proposal to align university calendars"). Not only are the semesters of the UA, ASU and NAU not aligned, but the beginning and end of class times are not in sync. This makes it difficult to exchange courses among the three state universities.
The reason the University of Arizona, Arizona State University and Northern Arizona University exchange courses is so students on the respective campuses can take courses not offered by their institution. Example: UA students presently taken an ECE course taught by an ASU professor because the course is not offered on our campus. The same scenario takes place at the other institutions; students take classes from UA professors that may not be available without distance education.
In this age of dwindling resources, why not take advantage of existing technology and distance education to better serve the students of the state of Arizona? Help solve the overcrowded classroom problems through time shifting, make better use of faculty to teach more students at off-campus public sites, reach the non-traditional student during evening and weekend hours. All can be accomplished through technology that is available at the University of Arizona. Thank you.
Jack Parris
Assistant General Manager, VideoServices
KUAT Communications Group