Indian Hills Insight: 4 Day Week
It was November 1977 when Indian Hills Community College adopted a rather radical new class schedule on a trial basis.
Indian Hills pioneered the four-day week among Iowa colleges, taking a cue from some community colleges in Minnesota that had gone to the innovative plan to save money after unusually cold weather the previous winter.
The U.S. Department of Energy was created in 1977 and there was a strong push nationwide for energy reform during the 70s. The new schedule, for one term, was part of Indian Hills’ response.
A survey showed IHCC students and employees driving, on average, 107 miles per week commuting to the Ottumwa or Centerville campus. Although a reduction in driving didn’t directly affect the college budget, the dollars saved on heating buildings that winter certainly did.
The biggest cost savings came from turning back thermostats to minimum levels from Thursday afternoons through Monday mornings. Daytime settings when the classes were in session were also lowered. President Dr. Lyle Hellyer was fond of saying, “Wearing sweaters is becoming popular.”
The IHCC Ottumwa campus was located at the Ottumwa Airport and the old World War II Navy buildings the college occupied were notorious for their drafty conditions. A reported cash savings of $12,000 in utility costs the first three-month period was not an insignificant amount in that year’s budget.
The four-day week was brought back in each of the next two winters, including the winter of ’79 when the price of crude oil more than doubled and there were long lines at gas stations.
By 1980 the Indian Hills board of trustees voted to make the switch to a four-day week a permanent one, after being assured by Dr. Hellyer that there was no loss of instructional effectiveness. He told the trustees that an earlier starting time, later dismissal and a shortened lunch period had resulted in slightly more classroom and laboratory contact hours during the previous three winter terms.
So, in addition to saving the college money, the schedule was working very well from an educational standpoint too.
A term or quarter system was already in place and along with the four-day week it gave Indian Hills a pretty unique schedule.
Cale Hutchings has seen the advantages of a four-day week as both an IHCC student and staff member. Hutchings, currently an Associate Professor in the Automotive Technology program, says, “I would say about 90 percent of the students in our program are working in the industry to supplement their income and our class schedule gives them three full days to work.” Hutchings says that’s vitally important for students who are working to pay for their education.
One of Hutchings’ students is Geoffrey Fogle from Oskaloosa, who thinks the four-day week is a “great idea.” Fogle says without having classes on Fridays he can work an extra eight-hour day on the weekend. And, Fogle adds he doesn’t feel anything is missing in the program’s curriculum.
More than four decades after college officials decided to give it a try, the four-day week now is ingrained in the Indian Hills academic calendar. Many students and staff members will tell you it’s one of the things they like best about Indian Hills.
(This is a monthly column, provided by Indian Hills Community College)