A better, longer term

Princeton's semesters are remarkably brief. At a mere twelve weeks, they're shorter than the terms at Yale or Harvard. It sometimes seems as though the short terms and intermittent breaks keep students in a state of constant flux, barely able to get into the routine of classwork before a break or exam period intervenes to shake things up.

The Opinion Board sees many benefits to short terms. When there's nearly always a break on the horizon, professors feel free to craft intense syllabi, secure in the knowledge that students will use break weeks to catch up. A shorter term also lets more professors teach more classes, while imposing a reduced burden on their schedules.

But we think students and professors both would be better served by a slightly longer class year. With an extra week or two, professors could cover more material, or slow down slightly from the breakneck pace at which new ideas are sometimes introduced in the current system. Students would enjoy some combination of more interaction with professors, more time to master material and a greater total amount of material learned.

Particularly in the fall term, with mid-September introductory lectures fast melting into fall break, Thanksgiving, and an extended exam and holiday period that lasts from mid-December through the beginning of February, we think adding a week or two would do more good than harm. The first week in September, we think, is a prime candidate — after all, many schools begin classes in August.

Given what we're all paying to be here, and how quickly four years spent on campus tends to fly by, we think a longer term would be a boon for students. — The Daily Princetonian Opinion Board