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From: Mokwa, Robert [mailto:mokwa@montana.edu] 
Sent: Thursday, October 5, 2017 11:51 AM
To: msu-faculty-tenure@sympa.montana.edu; msu-faculty-nontenure@sympa.montana.edu; 'msu-academic-dddh@sympa.montana.edu' <msu-academic-dddh@sympa.montana.edu>
Subject: Summer Session 2018

Dear Colleagues,

In the summer of 2018 we will be changing the format of our summer sessions, moving from the current model of two six-week sessions to three four-week sessions. This change will make summer credits more accessible and appealing to our students so they can stay on track with completing their degree. In some cases it could even provide opportunities to shorten the time to receiving a degree. This change in summer school will be rebranded and marketed as the Bobcat 4x4 program: four days a week for four weeks.

As part of this change, we will be offering students the opportunity to purchase residence hall housing during their summer session. Even those students who only sign up for one four-week session will be able to purchase housing. The lack of affordable, short-term summer housing in Bozeman is often an obstacle to students taking classes. We believe that by opening our residence halls, students will find it easier to attend one or more summer sessions.

With housing available on campus and three summer sessions in which students may take 3 to 6 credits during a four-week period, we believe more students will stay on campus and enroll in one or more summer sessions. Focused academic immersion in intense, but shorter summer sessions will create an opportunity for students to shorten their time to degree to four, three and a half or three years. The shorter sessions will also make it possible for students to pursue a summer internship, job or other activity during the rest of the summer. Significant financial benefits accrue to students who are able to complete their degree in less time. In the short-term, finishing in four years or less can save a student thousands to tens of thousands of dollars in tuition, fees, room and board, and other expenses. In the long-term, finishing in four years or less means a student could enter his or her career one to three years earlier, which could have a profound impact on end-of-career earnings and retirement savings.

The Center for Faculty Excellence will be offering workshops and training to help faculty transition their on campus classes from six-week and 15-week sessions to four-week sessions. Summer session offerings of graduate courses and online undergraduate and online graduate courses may continue under a format that aligns with past practices for scheduling and course length. However, departments and faculty who offer these courses are encouraged to consider adopting the new summer model if the four-week format provides more opportunities for students. The schedule for existing 12-week-long summer courses will continue as it overlays nicely with the three four-week-long sessions, thereby providing additional opportunities for students to enhance their summer schedule.

On the heels of recent changes to the Federal Pell Grant program, a student may be eligible to receive the Federal Pell Grant funds for summer 2018. Students are encouraged to have completed both the 2017/2018 and the 2018/2019 FAFSA form for maximum Pell consideration.

To be eligible to receive federal loan assistance, a student must be enrolled for a minimum of six credit hours as a regular student in an eligible program. For the summer, the minimum six-credit-hour requirement can be met by taking six credits in one session or by splitting the requirement over multiple sessions.

In summary, the new summer school model will provide additional opportunities for students to stay on track in their academic program and to finish their degrees in a reasonable time frame. Three summer sessions provide additional flexibility for both students and faculty, and shortening the length of the sessions means that students are able to focus on one academic subject at a time. This environment and structure will make it more feasible for students who need to retake a course or who — for whatever reason — have fallen behind. We are looking forward to enhancing summer school opportunities for our students and to providing a structure that will support expanded summer course and program offerings for students, as well as providing more creative opportunities for faculty participation. Additional information and details will be coming soon.

Sincerely,
Robert Mokwa
Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs