Students should prepare to duck because a recent proposal by NIU’s Energy Conservation Committee to alter the university academic calendar might be slinging trouble their way.

The proposal was made by ECC Chairman Eddie Williams at Wednesday’s Faculty Senate meeting. The committee suggested an adjustment to the university calendar which would shove the beginning and end of both semesters back by one week.

In effect, fall semester will begin on the first week of September instead of the last week of August. The beginning of spring semester and the end of both semesters will mirror this change.

Williams said that the adjustment, recommended for fiscal year 1994 to 2001, would help to center the semesters more directly within the more temperate fall and spring seasons. This would reduce summer air conditioning and winter heating costs.

The proposal was the result of a requirement made by NIU’s Organization, Productivity and Salaries committee (OPS) that the ECC find ways to generate budget savings beginning with FY 1994. The savings will help to relieve the strain on NIU’s administration because of this year’s staff and faculty salary increases.

Concerns at Wednesday’s FS meeting centered around the feeling that NIU’s savings would be made at the expense of its students.

There was general agreement that the proposed alteration would move the end of spring semester past the date at which average Illinois universities’ spring semesters end, which might rob students of any advantage they would have in finding a summer job. In addition, fall semester would end with only a week until Christmas, depriving students of further season-related employment over Christmas break.

“The likelihood is that students will not be able to get jobs for Christmas,” said Joan Greening, associate director of Career Planning and Placement. “And if we let out later in the summer, then their edge will be gone then as well.”

Several FS members agreed with Greening’s argument.

Student Association President Paul Middleton also voiced his concern for students.

“I agree with the concerns brought up by the Faculty Senate,” he said. “This would hurt the students. They could be unable to find a job during the summer break, and a lot of students here at Northern depend on their summer income to pay for their tuition.”

The alteration would, in effect, contradict one of the major reasons why NIU switched to a unified academic calendar in 1973, which was to give students an advantage in the workplace during semester breaks.

There also was some concern at the FS meeting as to how the alteration might affect the operation of the Office of Registration and Records.

“We’re looking to see what kind of an effect it would have, but we are uncertain as of yet,” said Donald Larson, associate director of Registration and Records. “The grades would go out a little later, but we don’t send out dismissals until after Christmas anyway.”

The FS, who is displeased with the proposal, passed a motion at Wednesday’s meeting to send the alteration proposal to the University Council Steering Committee.

“I suspect that the Steering Committee will send it to another committee to be reviewed,” said FS President Norman Magden. He did not know which committee that would be.

Magden added that student and faculty concerns could either be addressed to his office or to the committee that the proposal is given to review.

The Steering Committee will decide where to send the proposal during its Nov. 11 meeting.