Seven major student clubs at the University of Newcastle have published a joint statement in response to plans by the University to overhaul the academic timetable, particularly concerning plans to replace the two-semester system with a three-trimester one.
It comes as a second round of student consultation for a new academic calendar nears completion.
The statement put forward by the Education, Engineering, Speech Pathology, Psychology, Criminology & Criminal Justice societies, the Business & Commerce Association and the Law Students’ Association opposes the proposed changes citing concerns that a trimester model would shorten the amount of time students would spend in the classroom, threatening the quality and quantity of education by reducing the time available for course delivery.
The statement also claims a trimester model would potentially put student placements in jeopardy, writing “the limited placement time could hinder students’ practical learning experience and professional development.” A comment from a student included in the letter noted a trimester model would leave students with a far greater workload than the semester model.
Opposition to the proposed changes has been growing since students first received a survey back in May. Results showed that 40% of students supported the proposed changes, which caused a stir among some students. 6500 people responded to the initial survey, about 17% of the total cohort.
But surveys conducted by the seven clubs gave much starker results. The Law Students’ Association says a social media survey found 93% of students opposed the changes, while another conducted by the Education Society gave an 87.5% no result. The Engineering Society returned a similar result of 97% no vote. While the number of respondents is unclear, the surveys may indicate a broader concern among the student body about changes to the timetable.
The University justifies the proposed changes on the basis that a trimester system would make a more efficient use of the academic year, as well as providing a more flexible academic schedule for students who are working, have family commitments/are carers, are disabled, or otherwise require greater fluidity in their study. As they state in their April 2024 discussion paper: “in order to best serve future students, Newcastle needs to embrace trends such as ‘on-demand’ commencements and a ‘carousel’ calendar, which enable students in certain courses to start very quickly after being offered a place at the university and complete at their own pace.”
With these changes being considered as soon as 2025, the University may have a problem if it is unable to win students over.