Only a week between the spring and first summer terms has some faculty and staff bothered.

The 2005-06 academic calendar allows a 10-day break between the spring and summer terms. The University Calendar Committee, an ad hoc organization, was formed in 2001 to set principles for determining an academic calendar, said assistant provost Dave Holger. The committee approved several principles, including “maintaining a one-week break between spring and summer terms,” according to the committee’s Web site. One week has been the standard break between terms since 2002.

The calendar works mathematically, said Kathy Jones, assistant vice president for enrollment and registrar.

“There are 52 weeks in the year,” she said. “17 weeks for fall and 17 for spring, so that’s 34. Then you add 12 for summer session. That makes 46 weeks, leaving six. Three weeks between fall and spring, and two weeks between summer and fall.”

Jones said the extra time was most needed between summer and fall rather than spring and summer to allow faculty to settle grades and academic paperwork.

“This really is about the only configuration that works for us,” she said.

Students have differing opinions on the length of the break.

“I would like at least two weeks,” Jasmin Jones, junior in pre-business. Jones said she just transferred from Des Moines Area Community College, but said DMACC’s spring calendar matched Iowa State’s.

Stephanie McLaughlin, sophomore in psychology, agreed.

“With only one week . we need some down time after finals,” she said. McLaughlin said the short break didn’t affect her decision to take summer classes, but she would have preferred two weeks.

Steve Rodermel, professor of genetics, development and cellular biology, said he thought the calendar was not set with students’ interest in mind.

“I think this is driven by economics – not the benefit of students and faculty,” he said.

Rodermel said the transition between teaching and researching was difficult enough, and the difficulty was increased with less transition time.

“People don’t realize that faculty need time to think,” he said. “That’s what brings in the grant money. We need time to process and breathe.”

Rodermel is not teaching summer classes, but runs a laboratory staffed with students.

Not all students found the same difficulty with the short break.

“This is the first time I’ve had summer classes, but it was all right,” said Holly DeGroote, senior in child, adult and family services. She said she would rather get the summer term started so it would end earlier.