State lawmakers mulling switch of Georgia’s university system to quarters

Georgia lawmakers are having second thoughts about switching the University System of Georgia from a quarter to a semester system back in 1999.

A state House study committee will begin meeting soon to take a fresh look at whether both the university system and the Technical College System of Georgia – which moved to semesters in 2011 – should switch back to quarters.

“There’s no preconceived outcome here,” said Rep. Chuck Martin, R-Alpharetta, chairman of the House Higher Education Committee and a member of the study committee. “It’s just to assess the situation and some of the things that could be impacted if we were to change this. … We know some significant work would have to go on.”

When the switch from quarters was made, arguments in favor of going with a semester system included aligning Georgia’s university system with the approximately 70% of the nation’s colleges and universities operating on semesters. That made transfers within and across systems easier.

Greater administrative efficiencies and reduced administrative costs also were anticipated.

But a quarter century later, legislative leaders say they see a downside to semesters.

“The conversion from the quarter system to the semester system has resulted in longer terms with more classes and fewer graduation cycles,” according to the language of a resolution the House passed unanimously in March to create the study committee. “Some question whether semesters are the better option for students or for workforce development.”

Quarter system ramifications

The ramifications a quarter system could have for Georgia’s workforce shortages is a key driver in the decision to revisit whether to switch back to quarters. The current semester system leads to two graduating classes each year, while a quarter system would yield at least three, thus getting graduating students into the workforce faster.

“An expeditious path to entering the workforce is an important consideration for those looking to graduate from one of our fine institutions of higher learning, as well as those looking to hire those graduates,” Rep. Shaw Blackmon, R-Bonaire, told the website State Affairs in June. Blackmon couldn’t be reached by Capitol Beat this week.

Switching from semesters to quarters couldn’t be accomplished overnight.

Martin said complications that would have to be worked out include how to coordinate the university and technical college systems’ quarters with Georgia’s high schools, which would continue to operate on the semester system.

University system administrators also would have to figure out how to handle the Christmas holiday break, which would occur during the middle quarter rather than between the first and second semesters, Martin said.

“There’s a lot of moving parts,” he said.

Besides Blackmon and Martin, the House study committee will include three other lawmakers: Reps. Mike Cheokas, R-Americus; Ginny Ehrhart, R-Marietta; and Stacey Evans, D-Atlanta.The panel also will include Ashwani Monga, the university system’s executive vice chancellor for academic affairs, selected last month to serve as interim president at the University of West Georgia; and Ray Perren, deputy commissioner for technical education at the Technical College System of Georgia.