Letters to the Editor: Despite inconsistencies, UCLA shouldn’t eliminate the quarter system

To the editor: My husband, my son and I are all UCLA alumni (classes of 1970, 1979 and 2010) under the quarter system (“UC considers adopting semester system at all schools,” July 1). We also all attended graduate programs that used the semester system.

We all preferred the quarter system. The quicker pace discouraged procrastination, forcing us to stay organized and responsible for completing assignments on time. This is a valuable life lesson, as we all discovered in our careers in business, education and law. The semester system, on the other hand, led to academic lethargy that served no one well.

As an educator myself, I dispute the claim quoted in the article that textbooks arranged in 15-20 chapters rather than 10 should impact the UC decision. Teachers need to decide how to structure their classes. Textbooks are simply tools.

One point not raised in the article: The cost to a student, in dollars and in time, is less for a quarter than for a semester. If health or other factors force students to withdraw for a quarter, or to add an extra quarter to their time in college, the quarter system offers more flexibility.

I sincerely hope that the UC system does not eliminate the quarter system, which has worked well for so many of us.

Robin Winston, Culver City