By Shannon Davis
Arizona Daily Wildcat
You are more likely to see the alignment of a couple of planets than you are to see Arizona universities line up their academic calendars.
In its Oct. 2 meeting, the University of Arizona Faculty Senate unanimously rejected a proposed change in the UA's academic calendar that would have aligned the first day of spring semester classes with the first day of spring semester classes at Arizona State University and Northern Arizona University.
The proposed change also would have cut the number of teaching days at the UA from 44 days to 43 days.
"I object to going from 44 lectures a semester to 43 lectures. I have to cram in more material in less time and it affects the students," said Sen. Roy Emrick, physics professor.
Sens. Eugene Levy, dean of the faculty of science, and Richard Hallick, biochemistry professor, strongly agreed.
Said university Registrar Arlene Becella, "The proposal (to change the start day of the semester) started as a request from the distance learning program. UA, NAU and ASU share programs through video and cable. It's perceived that it will be easier for the distance learning programs when we are more in sync."
The proposal was forwarded by the university calendar committee.
Classes would have begun on Mondays, beginning in the 1997-1998 academic calendar year.
"For now, we'll leave it as is (Wednesday or Thursday start) and we'll keep looking for opportunities for common start dates and teaching days," Becella said.
Another reason to change to a Monday start date is the convenience of starting classes at the beginning of a week.
"It's difficult to plan to be here on a Thursday," ASUA President Ben Driggs said. "People are traveling, leaving jobs and moving."
Driggs said either way, the effect is not going to be substantial.
For now, the UA will continue to have three more teaching days in the spring than Arizona State.