New Pre-Term "Touchy Feely" Section Available for Class of 2003
Jennifer Zimmerman
Issue date: 3/6/02 Section: News
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In an effort to maintain the current capacity level for Interpersonal Dynamics (the high-demand course commonly called "Touchy Feely"), the faculty has created a new two-week, pre-term section for current first years.
The section will be held in September before formal classes begin next Fall. It will be available to 36 students, will count as a four-credit course, and is expected to be a permanent addition to the curriculum. The unique section was created to maintain the current number of spaces in Touchy Feely since (beginning next year) only one section (instead of two) will be available for second years in the spring quarter.
The creation of the pre-term section is a part of a trend of the last three or four years of making more sections of Interpersonal Dynamics available earlier in a student's career. According to Professor Bradford, the core benefit of the course is that it "allows [you] to acquire the skill to quickly build open, effective relationships with people who are different than you."
Given this core benefit, the professors believe that this course is extremely useful for students to have early in their career here in order to help them in other classes and in study groups. So, in direct contrast to three or four years ago when sections were available mostly at the end of a student's second year, with the creation of the pre-term section, half of the eight sections available to incoming students will be available before the winter quarter of their second year.
So, what are the advantages and disadvantages of taking the pre-term section compared to a section during the school year?
Students won't have to use a bullet to get into the pre-term course. If more than 36 students sign up for the course, 36 will be chosen randomly for the class and the extras will be put on a waitlist. Those on the class list will have until August 1 to drop. As people drop, people will be added to the class from the waitlist. Importantly, anyone who drops the class after August 1 will be ineligible to take the class for the remainder of their time at school.
The section will be held in September before formal classes begin next Fall. It will be available to 36 students, will count as a four-credit course, and is expected to be a permanent addition to the curriculum. The unique section was created to maintain the current number of spaces in Touchy Feely since (beginning next year) only one section (instead of two) will be available for second years in the spring quarter.
The creation of the pre-term section is a part of a trend of the last three or four years of making more sections of Interpersonal Dynamics available earlier in a student's career. According to Professor Bradford, the core benefit of the course is that it "allows [you] to acquire the skill to quickly build open, effective relationships with people who are different than you."
Given this core benefit, the professors believe that this course is extremely useful for students to have early in their career here in order to help them in other classes and in study groups. So, in direct contrast to three or four years ago when sections were available mostly at the end of a student's second year, with the creation of the pre-term section, half of the eight sections available to incoming students will be available before the winter quarter of their second year.
So, what are the advantages and disadvantages of taking the pre-term section compared to a section during the school year?
Students won't have to use a bullet to get into the pre-term course. If more than 36 students sign up for the course, 36 will be chosen randomly for the class and the extras will be put on a waitlist. Those on the class list will have until August 1 to drop. As people drop, people will be added to the class from the waitlist. Importantly, anyone who drops the class after August 1 will be ineligible to take the class for the remainder of their time at school.