Every student knows the ticking time bomb that precedes midterms and finals. That scramble to make it to the end of the semester, finding time to review notes, study flashcards, and pull all-nighters. It’s a diligent race to academic success.
Now, that finish line might approach sooner. The Chabot-Las Positas Community College District (CLPCCD) is once again discussing shortening the race. The dialogue has intensified because Chancellor Ronald Gerhard, in a surprise declaration, announced the District’s intentions to adopt a calendar that would shrink the schools’ established 17.5-week semester to 16 weeks.
Just before Christmas, Chancellor Gerhard communicated to district employees that the CLPCCD plans to implement calendar compression starting in Fall 2026.
If actualized, both colleges would join the 68 of 116 California Community Colleges (CCC) operating with shortened semesters.
The plan still needs board and state approval – proponents will bring it to a Board of Trustees meeting in March.
Also being raised in March’s meeting: the point on winter-intercessions. The sessions are comparable to summer classes — short, fast-paced courses targeted at ‘high-achieving’ students. They’ll be offered beginning in the Fall of 2025, if approved.
The inclusion of a winter inter-cession does not mean there will be a change in the current semester schedule.
“The hope is that students can complete their degree certificates or achieve their goals in a shorter time frame,” LPC President Dyrell Foster said. “We’re also hoping that it will lead to higher completion rates.”
Compressing their academic calendar has been a long-term consideration for CLPCCD. For years though, consideration was the compression’s limit. Approval and implementation seemed unlikely.
Since at least 2020, Chabot and Las Positas have cited concerns over the impact a new schedule would have on student success, faculty workload, and classified staff.
Four years later, on Mar. 1st of last year, Gerhard accepted a proposal from the Alternative Academic Calendar Committee at LPC to suspend calendar-related deliberation. The decision was made after a majority of the 18 members voted in favor of the suspension. It was finalized on Mar. 5th by Gerhard, effectively ending the committee.
The compressed calendar — talking about implementing it, at least — was over. Until October.
On Halloween, Gerhard sent an email reopening the conversation, as the need for a wider variety of classes for students became more pressing.
One of the original concerns that factored into the suspension of the compressed calendar idea back in March was the availability of faculty. The compressed calendar style would require some faculty to work during the new winter inter-cession, and possibly increase their availability during the regular school semester. With added time-limitations on in person access, financial aid and other student services will also be impacted.
“I think,” Foster said, “that there are certainly benefits to a compressed calendar.”
Foster maintains that compressing the calendar and adding a winter intersession will increase student success. Which will, in turn, improve the school’s student success metrics — ultimately increasing state funding.
One of the more timely changes that the new calendar promises is a winter inter-cession. Such a break would be enacted during the 2025-26 school year.
During the academic session meeting on Nov. 13 of 2024, the topic of the school’s need for an inter-cession was brought up.
STEM senate member Jennifer Siders mentioned that there are “100 students majoring in physics who cannot get required classes during fall and spring.”
Senate President Ashley Young agreed, adding “additional Fall 2024 math classes would (allow) nearly 200 students to be accommodated in needed classes.”
Her sentiment signals the demand for more classes for students. Which would justify the addition of a winter inter-cession, regardless of the decision to transition to a compressed calendar schedule.
While the decision to have a winter inter-cession has been made, there are still ongoing conversations as to which and precisely how many courses will be available during it.
During the session meeting Faculty Associate Heike Gecox reported that “our summer sessions are successful, especially if classes needed to graduate are offered; winter intersession may have a similar effect.”
So the hope is that there will be some high-demand classes offered during this new inter-cession. The winter session also provides an opportunity for students who missed fall enrollment.
“If somebody, you know, was late and not able to enroll in the fall semester,” Foster said, “having that winter session gives them an opportunity to enroll, receive financial aid during the winter, and then also continue in spring.”
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TOP PHOTO: If the compressed calendar is approved and adopted, the semester will be 16 weeks long. (Photo courtesy of Envato Elements)
Olivia Fitts is the News Editor and Features Editor for The Express. Follow her on X, formerly Twitter @OLIVIAFITTS2. Mel Llamas is the Opinions Editor for The Express. Follow him on X, formally Twitter, @MM_Llamas
