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BEEVILLE – Coastal Bend College will change from a five-day instructional week to a four-day week starting this fall. Changes will effect student schedules but not time in the classroom.
Students enrolled this fall will take classes on Mondays and Wednesdays and/or Tuesdays and Thursdays. Students will spend the same amount of time in class as before, but will not have to return to campus on Fridays.
While the four-day instructional week is not new to Texas, it brings a new learning option to South Texas students.
The changes came as a result of feedback from monthly forums with students who ranked high gas prices, access to childcare and work-related conflicts as obstacles toward earning higher education degrees, CBC President Thomas Baynum said.
Stefanie Maxwell, a Pleasanton student, said the new fall schedule will work out well for her.
“This gives me Friday, Saturday and Sunday to work and makes it easier for my job to work around my class schedule,” she said. Maxwell is a returning Liberal Arts major. She plans to earn 13 credits this fall.
The four-day week started with the summer semesters in Pleasanton and Alice. The test phase was a success with very positive feedback from students. It will be launched on all four campuses this August. Students registering now should notice a difference in course options.
Students enrolled in Every Other Weekend College will take classes on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, twice a month. Students on the alternate schedule have to commit in writing to completion of that program and meet certain criteria.
Those in EOWC will meet in a classroom every other weekend and do coursework online. Students will be part of an academic group that stays together for two years. There will be one cohort per campus. Upon completion, students will earn a general studies associate degree that is fully transferable to any Texas public university.
“Because of the nature of this program, it is only open to students earning associate’s of arts and sciences degrees,” said Alma Adamez, college director of academic programs. Students who plan to earn workforce or health science degrees do not meet the requirements for EOWC. Students who commit to the EOWC program will get a free laptop and a scholarship of $750 for three semesters. This program is funded, in part, by TG’s Public Benefit Grant Program.
CBC administrative offices will not change to a four-day week. The college will continue to be open five days a week and sometimes seven days a week. Students needing to conduct business will be able to access all administrative offices 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.
For more information about changes at CBC, visit the Web site at www.coastalbend.edu.
COUGAR CAMP
Coastal Bend College Cougar Camp recruitment is underway for Summer 2008.
Cougar Camp gives future CBC students the opportunity to spend three days on the Beeville campus of Coastal Bend College from Aug. 12-14.
They will participate in a variety of workshops, activities and events that will help them feel connected to CBC before fall classes begin.
The camp is free. Meals, dorms, transportation and activities are free during the camp session.
Cougar Camp is open to recent high school graduates from Bee, Live Oak, Karnes, Refugio, Jim Wells, Kleberg, Duval and Atascosa counties who are planning to attend any Coastal Bend College campus in the fall. For additional information, call Kelly Rea toll-free at 866-722-2838, Ext. 2529 or by e-mail at mkdrea@coastalbend.edu.