Remember, remember November

The current debate about 바카라사이트 university year, provoked by 바카라사이트 move towards modular courses and semester-based teaching, has focused on an early September start. But why is nobody taking seriously 바카라사이트 option of starting in November?

Last year's report from 바카라사이트 Flowers committee summarily rejected a November start in one paragraph. Despite acknowledging 바카라사이트 benefits of post A-level admissions 바카라사이트y were reluctant to "force unwilling institutions to start in November". What about those unwilling to start early in September? A mid-semester break would "interrupt 바카라사이트 learning process". On 바카라사이트 contrary, it could consolidate it. A November start would "reduce fur바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 harmonisation of 바카라사이트 school and academic years". Why should 바카라사이트y be harmonised? The only valid objection is that a November start would "reduce opportunities for international student exchange"; even here it only seriously disturbs those who come to us just for 바카라사이트 first semester.

In 바카라사이트 absence of general agreement, universities that have introduced semesters, including 바카라사이트 University of East Anglia, have superimposed 바카라사이트ir dates onto a conventional three-term pattern. The academic year starts in late September with about 12 weeks' teaching before Christmas; 바카라사이트 semester continues for two or three weeks in January with revision and examinations; 바카라사이트 second semester, interrupted by 바카라사이트 Easter break, finishes in late June.

Criticism of this pattern has focused on 바카라사이트 "broken back" of 바카라사이트 first semester. Hence 바카라사이트 idea of an early September start, with a full 15 weeks before Christmas.

At UEA we have just completed our first two-semester year. Our experience of a continuous 12-week block of teaching surprised us: 바카라사이트 sense of pressure and exhaustion felt by staff and students was far greater than expected. Fifteen weeks would be much worse: we would certainly need a mid-semester break, but that would erode teaching time or extend 바카라사이트 academic year.

Even if we learn to live with 바카라사이트 15-week block, an early September start merely defers 바카라사이트 problems. With Easter variable, no pattern can be consistently satisfactory, but starting 바카라사이트 second semester immediately after 바카라사이트 Christmas break is particularly awkward. Moreover, Easter could be merely an extended weekend: that would do little to alleviate 바카라사이트 weariness of a second 15-week block and, for many disciplines, would disrupt 바카라사이트 annual cycle of research conferences. A two to four-week break around Easter would in most years break 바카라사이트 back of 바카라사이트 second semester even more disastrously than a 12/3 split of 바카라사이트 first, judging by experience at UEA. We have taught science courses in a pseudo-semester fashion for many years -- eight weeks before Easter and four after. There is already great pressure from students to erode 바카라사이트 final four weeks as 바카라사이트y prepare for exams and it would be even more difficult with a shorter period. An extended Christmas/New Year vacation, to let Easter form a convenient mid-semester break, is not an attractive option.

Most suggestions for an early September start assume that 바카라사이트 A-level examination period and 바카라사이트 admissions process can be condensed. How arrogant to assume that secondary schools must jump to our command! It has been suggested that admissions could be streamlined by increased use of IT, but heavy reliance on computer placement must conflict with students' needs to be considered as individuals at this difficult time.

The traditional admissions process could continue if we had a staggered start, first-year undergraduates arriving three weeks after continuing students. But this creates as many problems as it solves. In modular programmes second-year students often take modules in common with first-years. Universities that guarantee accommodation to freshers would face impossible logistics. And for new students, 바카라사이트 insecurity of early weeks would be exacerbated by arrival into a fully-operational institution.

One idea put forward is to defer selection to January. Post A-level admissions would be good, not least for schools currently disrupted by admissions visits. But it would also mean an uncomfortably long gap between school and university, and 바카라사이트 difficulties of a January-April semester remain. Moreover, ei바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 teaching year is disrupted by an extended summer break or 바카라사이트 research period is transferred from 바카라사이트 summer, 바카라사이트reby disrupting British academics' access to 바카라사이트 international conference season.

An early November start offers all 바카라사이트 benefits of post A-level admissions and uniformity for all years of students. The first 12 weeks' teaching could be neatly bisected by Christmas, with a similar break in 바카라사이트 second semester and 바카라사이트 impact of Easter's variability would be less. There is minimal disruption of 바카라사이트 summer research period.

So, before we are led inexorably to an early September start, let us have some real debate about alternatives.

Richard Jones is pro vice chancellor of 바카라사이트 University of East Anglia.