A new academic calendar is one step closer to becoming a reality.

ISU President Gregory Geoffroy has narrowed the options for the university’s next academic calendar to two.

After receiving input from thousands of students, faculty and staff, the calendar proposals were narrowed down to Calendar A and Calendar B.

An online survey, which was available through AccessPlus, closed on April 25.

After results were tabulated, the calendar taskforce looked to various councils across campus for input, such as the Professional and Scientific Council and the Faculty Senate, said Arne Hallam, head of the presidential academic calendar taskforce. The taskforce was organized by Geoffroy.

One of the finalists, according to the online survey results, was Calendar A, the current academic calendar. The other popular option was Calendar B, which adds a week to winter break, a 10-day mini-semester, 5 minutes to each class, a two-day break in October and extends the time between spring and fall semesters by one week.

“The 10-day mini-semester would be completely voluntary for students and departments,” said Hallam, professor and chair of economics.

“One or two credit classes would be taken during that time,” he said.

There are many questions and issues that need to be addressed with each calendar possibility, such as student housing, costs, student lab time and the intensity of the semester, he said.

For example, lab time for students would be cut due to the two-day break in October if Calendar B were chosen, Hallam said.

During the past spring semester, nearly 4,100 students, faculty and staff participated in an online survey through AccessPlus which asked them to rank calendar proposals, according to the online survey results, http://www.iastate.edu/Inside/2003/0502/calendar.shtml.

Participants were asked to rank the proposals on a scale of one to four, with one being the most favored proposal, and four being the least, according to the online survey.

Calendar B was the top choice of faculty and students. Calendar A was the top choice among staff, both merit and professional and scientific staff. Overall, calendar B was favored with an average of 1.87.

“The volume of the feedback is not as important as its inherence,” said Hallam. “The taskforce will look strongly at big issues that will effect a lot of people.”

In the fall, the task force will present their findings to Geoffroy who will encourage campus discussion through public forum, Hallam said.

“A decision will not be made in the summer,” said Charles Dobbs, assistant to the president .

This summer the taskforce will be analyzing the survey and urging feedback from the ISU community concerning questions and issues that need to be looked at, he said.

Thoughts and questions regarding Calendar B can be sent to Hallam at [email protected] by July 1.