As decided by the Academic Senate last January, the shortening of the passing period between classes from 15 to 10 minutes went into effect at the beginning of this year. The aim of the shortened passing period is to allow for an extra class period during the school day, which, due to a rapidly increasing undergraduate student body, is needed to accommodate all students.
Guardian
So far, the shortened passing period has been met with little enthusiasm on the part of the student body.
“”I don’t like it at all,”” said Brett Going, a Revelle College sophomore.””I can’t make it anywhere on time.””
Many other students echoed Going’s lament, including Thurgood Marshall College junior Cliff McEnery, who said he feels the decrease in time between classes has increased the lack of socializing at UCSD.
“”Now, because of the 10-minute passing period, I am forced to stare at the ground in fear that I will recognize anyone that will result in a conversation, making me late for class,”” McEnery said. “”People are even more unsocial.””
Warren senior Alex Marjanovic agrees that the ten minute passing period is too short.
“”It’s basically like you’re getting a workout on your way to class, and I don’t think it should be that way,”” Marjanovic said.
Other students suggested that the shortened periods between classes would not be so detrimental to their punctuality if it weren’t for the fact that that the campus is over-crowded. Ironically, the overflowing student body was also the instigator of the five-minute deduction.
John Muir College sophomore Cole Paffett said, “”Frankly, [shortening the passing periods] is not that smart, especially when you have more students on campus and small freshmen that I can step on when I’m trying to get to York.””
Students are not the only members of the UCSD community feeling burdened by the shorter passing period. Many staff members say they have noticed an increased amount of tardiness in their classes due to the shortened passing periods.
A informal survey conducted by the Guardian showed that 17 of the 30 lecturers housed in York and Warren Lecture Halls who responded said that the new 10-minute passing periods have had a significant effect on their students’ punctuality.
Not all students are so passionately opposed to the Academic Senate’s decision, however. Emily Wick, an ERC junior, said that the shortened time between classes has had little impact on her, though she does sympathize with students whose classes are more spread out.
“”[The shortened passing periods] don’t affect me that much this quarter,”” Wick said. “”I think it’s unfortunate, but I do understand why [the Academic Senate] did it.””
Marshall junior Cheryl Andrade suggested that the shuttle system could be more efficient in aiding students in getting from one class to another on time.
“”They should put more buses in the [campus] loop and make them come every five minutes, because if you miss one shuttle you’re automatically late,”” Andrade said. “”Just walking from Warren Lecture Hall to the Social Science Building takes more than 10 minutes.””
