By Clare Williams
Staff writer
Deciding to take classes during the January term is a dilemma students face as the registration process continues.
Perhaps the largest deterrent of enrollment in winter term is the extra expense. Union is looking to ease the burden that comes with living on campus during J-term by implementing a new policy this winter: If a student is taking at least three credit hours, he or she can live on campus for free. Students will still be required to purchase a meal plan.
Mallory Peyton, a freshman accounting major, said she is still undecided about her January plans. Two weeks is a relatively short break, especially for students who do not have the luxury of going home often, she said.
Senior psychology major Wil Story took J-term classes two years and recommends doing so.
“Classes are small and since you see your professor every day,” Story said, noting that it is a good time to get to know them.
Peyton wonders about the effect of taking a semester-long class in one month could have on her academics and long-term retention of class material.
While some students find that trying to take a course in a shorter time lessens their ability to learn the material well, Residence Life Director Ken Litscher believes that the compacted class time allows students to focus all their attention on a single subject and makes them able to perform better in the course.
For those who worry about campus activity — or a lack thereof — during January, SAC and Residence Life have planned events such as movie nights and ping pong tournaments to help keep students involved.
