Small class is forced into lecture hall
Joe Douglas
– Jr. Copy Editor –
Due to an unexpected rise in enrollment for the fall ’09 semester for STLCC – Meramec, a class size of 20 students was forced into Lecture Hall room 103.
“It’s like we’re in ‘Meramec Caverns,’” John Messmer, Ph.D., instructor for the Intro to American Politics course, said.
Lecture Hall room 103, designed to fit up to 165 students, is now the classroom for one of the smallest classes on campus.
Messmer teaches the honors section for Intro to American Politics on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9:30 a.m. to 10:45 a.m. When one of his other sections capped at 60 students, he was forced to make a compromise.
Messmer said he favors small classrooms, where he can freely interact with the students; unlike a lecture hall, where student interaction is limited.
Messmer and Eric Meyer, Ph.D., honors section coordinator, worked together throughout spring ’09 to find rooms for Messmer’s classes. Only a few things could go wrong: one was an increase in the average enrollment.
“Space is at a premium,” Meyer said. “Rather than not offering the course, we had to move it to a non-ideal room.”
Meramec was built in 1964, making the buildings approximately 45 years old. Only one expansion has been made to Meramec in its history: the Humanities East building. While enrollment continues to increase due to Meramec’s increasing popularity, space also becomes more valuable.
“Everyone wants to fight for their students,” Meyer said. “What we need is an honors seminar room. It could free up some primetime space.”
While the 20-student class may not be moved to a smaller room within this semester, Meyer said it shouldn’t be a problem next fall. Until then, the class will be taught in “Meramec Caverns” free of charge.
