Middlebury's Winter Term Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow

Author: Andrea Gissing

Winter Term. To people outside of the Middlebury College community, it is a phrase that has little or no meaning. However, to those affiliated with the College it contains a host of associations ranging from "relaxing" and "skiing" to "academically rigorous" and "eventful." Now the periodic review of the month-long intersession affectionately known as "J-Term" is upon us, and the subject of conversation turns to its future and its place at the College.

Winter Term was first integrated into the College's calendar in January 1969. During the late 1950's and '60s, particularly under the leadership of President James I. Armstrong (1963 to 1975), the College experienced an "increased seriousness about academic matter on the part of both students and faculty," David Stameshkin wrote in "The Strength of the Hills: Middlebury College 1915-1990." At the time the College operated on a 15-week semester system with a normal course load of five classes. Many faculty members pushed to introduce the 4-1-4 calendar, replacing the previous system, which suffered from "many fall term interruptions between November and January."

"The winter term represented, par excellence, the desire of some faculty to develop a curriculum that encouraged deeper intellectual commitment," wrote Stameshkin.

In February of 1968, the faculty voted 69-29 to change the curriculum and calendar beginning in the fall of 1968.

President Armstrong, a supporter of the new calendar, told the Board of Trustees that the new calendar "created a whole new dispensation for the College."

"For the students it means a more reasonable rate of study, a change of pace in the winter program and encouragement to greater independence. For the faculty, it offers an increased opportunity for experimentation in how teaching proceeds [and] a revision of present offerings. For the College, it will bring about a better utilization of teaching resources, encouragement of interdepartmental and interdivisional curricular activity and a more sensible calendar. In short, the program will create an atmosphere more hospitable and conducive to teaching. It is a major step forward that careful deliberations and the passage of time have brought into being."

Gregg Humphrey '70, lecturer and acting director of the program in teacher education, attended the College during the transition period. "I experienced the change from two long semesters of five courses into more or less what takes place in our present [Winter Term]. I decided to take a music course during the first Winter Term that was totally a stretch for me. The intensity of writing and performing my "experimental piece" in the Johnson pit still resonates as one of my fondest memories at Middlebury."

To this day, for the most part, Winter Term continues to exist with the same spirit that it had in 1969. Many students take advantage of the single-course load to explore new subjects or take the time to immerse themselves fully into a subject of interest to them. For example, Dana Allen '05 integrated creative non-fiction writing and geography to design a course of his own. In the course he "[charted] backcountry ski runs in New England using a GPS and [mapped] them using GIS with the intent to provide other students with the opportunity to move beyond ski resorts and play in the outdoors in a manner that's less harmful to the environment. There's no other format at Middlebury for such a project and to date, it was one of my best experiences here."

Recent Winter Term courses have included the infamous Winter Term Organic Chemistry I, The Work of Myth-Making: Beowulf, J.R.R. Tolkien and The Lord of The Rings, Ceramics, Modern Hebrew for Beginners and Lego Robot Design Studio. Language departments use Winter Term to continue the beginning language courses, offering intensive 102 classes that bridge the fall and spring semesters.

"Winter Term allows teachers [to cover] books and/or topics that are difficult, important and new to them," said Charles A. Dana Professor of Political Science Murray Dry. "It allows students to take courses that are not otherwise offered in the regular semester curriculum."

In previous years, there have also been study abroad courses offered during Winter Term. These courses, which included Religious Conflict in the Habsburg Lands in Salzburg, Austria, Geologic Evolution of the Hawaiian Islands in Hawaii and Early Experience and Brain Development in Tutova, Romania, provided an opportunity for students who would otherwise be unable to study abroad to take courses outside of Middlebury. Due to budget concerns, however, the Winter Term abroad courses have been taken out of the curriculum.

"Winter Term also allows for collaborative teaching," commented Dry. "I have co-taught courses with four other colleagues. This coming Winter Term, [for example], I will co-teach a course with Professor Marc Witkin in Classics."

Winter Term also allows professors from other institutions to come to Middlebury to offer classes.

While the academic intensity of Winter Term may not always measure up to that of the regular semester, it does allow students to explore other subjects and become familiar with other teaching styles.

As well as providing varied academic possibilities, many other aspects of Winter Term have proven to be an integral part of the student life at Middlebury. "[Since] you are taking only one class," remarked Emily Peterman '04, "there is the opportunity for exhaustive research, field trips, internships with local businesses."

"For Career Services," said Claire Tetrault, assistant director for internships, "the value of Winter Term lies in the opportunity to secure a four-week real world experience through an internship. Students have a chance to engage in this program, receive credit for it and get career experience they would possibly be unable to have at any other time." An average of 160 students participate in the Winter Term internship program.

While Winter Term proves to be a well-anticipated and thoroughly enjoyable time for a majority of students on campus, there are several large problems associated with the shortened term, both academically and administratively.

For instance, shortened fall and spring semesters mean that detailed course material must be taught at a faster rate or be condensed. Not every subject matter lends itself to the Winter Term structure.

It has been observed that there are a high number of low rigor classes, which fosters an attitude among some students that Winter Term is a month-long party. Faculty teaching on campus during Winter Term have to spend that time on their Winter Term course and are unable to have as much preparation time, or relaxation time, prior to the spring.

Administratively, "J-term is the most difficult time of the year," commented Cook Commons Dean David Edleson. "There is a whole semester's worth of work packed into four weeks and everything is urgent."

"Everything" includes housing issues as students come back to campus from abroad at this time, students wanting to add or drop classes and social concerns associated with the increase in free-time. "If someone gets sick [during Winter Term] they would miss a quarter of the course."

"It is not a simple subject," Edleson continued. "Winter Term offers great advantages to some subjects, it offers challenges to others. Logistically its a nightmare. Socially it is good and bad." In spite of the logistical difficulties, the beneficial aspects of Winter Term are widely recognized. "Students really like J-Term for a variety of reasons," said Edleson, "and at a small liberal arts college, variety in education and creative and cutting-edge courses are available."

"There are great advantages to some subjects, challenges to others," continued Edleson. "Logistically it is a nightmare. Socially it's good and bad."

One a
spect of Winter Term eagerly embraced by the student body is the ability to have a change of pace from the rigorous academic schedule between the fall and spring semesters. "While some people use J-Term to drink and ski exclusively," said Peterman, "the majority of students make the most out of the opportunity to catch up with friends, study something they might not otherwise have the chance to study and enjoy all that winter has to offer."

"There is so much stress on students here [at Middlebury] that we need that time, on campus, to relax a little more and get to know each other," said Lindsay Newlon '05.5.

"J-Term is an absolutely essential part of not-going-insane at Middlebury," said Alex Fuller '05. "There is so much to do here besides just classes, but school work keeps me so busy that I often do not get a chance to enjoy them. During J-Term I can ski, snowshoe, see my friends at the Grille, as well as take an in-depth, worthwhile class."

Allen agrees: "Students at Middlebury come here not just for the academics but also for the life available outside the classroom, a life that is often necessarily neglected during the crush of the semester. J-Term provides a more relaxing opportunity to socialize within the community and get out and enjoy Vermont in the winter."

Debate on the subject of Winter Term, started in the faculty meeting held in August, will continue on during the fall. "Many of my colleagues and the administration have presented some huge concerns about Winter Term," said Humphrey, "and I look forward to the debate that we will have this year. My hope is that compromise can take place that maintains the 4-1-4 system. I very much hope that Middlebury students and alumni also become actively involved in the debate."

Likely, this will not be a problem. "[Winter Term] is not only something I look forward to, but something the school as a whole looks forward to," said Conor Sheldon, '05. "I noticed an incredible leap in on-campus spirit [during Winter Term]. People who normally study for 12 hours a day can actually be seen relaxing for once. To integrate such an academically and socially valuable period of time into the month of January is one of the defining characteristics of Middlebury."

"Winter Term embodies the work-hard, play-hard spirit of the campus and it would be a shame if it were to go away."