The upcoming summer break will be a week longer than previous years at Bakersfield College thanks to the new 16-week semester.

But when students return in the fall, they will spend longer periods of time in class to complete all the requirements in a shorter semester.

The 16-week semester will cut off two weeks from the original 18-week schedule. This cut will increase the length of winter break, start fall classes at the same time as high schools and result in double summer school sessions next year. Many see the present schedule as too long to support the attention of students throughout a semester, so a decrease in weeks is a welcomed change.

“In lecture classes, I see an 18-week semester as really challenging for students to just maintain their attention,” said John Gerhold division chair of fine, performing and communication arts.

These additions do come at a price. By increasing the hours of a class to still meet its requirements, classes are now longer than usual and end at odd times.

For example, a Tuesday/Thursday English 1A course that would have been held from 10 to 11:50 a.m. for 50 minutes in the spring term will be held from 10:30 a.m. to 12:32 p.m. for 62 minutes of instruction in the fall. This increase of time per class results in fewer available rooms and therefore fewer classes to be offered in a given period of time compared to the spring schedule.

“There’s only so many classes that can be offered in that prime time students want,” said Gerhold.

Gerhold also pointed out the effects this dense schedule would have on performing arts classes. Already having long classes due to the changes from a three-day-a-week course to a two-day-a-week course because of the closed campus on Fridays last year, students will face even longer performance hours in the fall.

So with a smaller amount of classes available in times students want, more attention will be needed to plan out a schedule for the next semester.

“Students are going to need to pay more attention to planning their schedules, to make best use of their available time to go to class,” said Sue Vaughn, director of enrollment services.

Vaughn also suggests students have all the details of their enrollment and what classes they want ready before they register to make it as easy as possible.

“Use the Web instead of the phone if you possibly can and be prepared. Take care of your prerequisites. Take care of knowing your PIN (number). Take care of having some alternative schedules planned so when you get on (the computer) you can sit down and get it done,” said Vaughn.

In light of this new schedule, she also believes time is of the essence to get the classes students want when they want.

“I think students are going to find that classes fill this year,” said Vaughn. “It is important, I think, that students register as early as they can.

In the meantime, Gerhold advises students to be patient.

“I don’t think until we’ve actually lived through a semester or two under the new schedule that we can really sense to see if there is enough good things to balance the bad and vise versa,” said Gerhold.