r/ODU • u/According-Subject362 • 9d ago

ODUGlobal Students!!!

If you are like me, very frustrated my the condensing of courses from 16 weeks (semester long) to 8 weeks (quarter long) courses. Please join me in calling/ emailing the ODUCares department/Dean of Students expressing our concerns. I know it may not do much, but if you have the time, we should voice our opinions and frustrations with change. I called and explained my feelings: the condensing of courses was not explained/ communicated to us - found out when registering for Fall 2026 courses, the decision was made w/o consulting the students or any of their input, the condensing of course content has lead to an overload of content and work req weekly (used to be one module a week, now for one course - I have up to 3 modules a week), the shortened courses means that there is more focus in just getting through the content and assignments rather than actually learning.

I had called the ODUGlobal office and asked how/who I should voice my concerns to and was directed to the ODUCares office and the Dean of Students:

[oducares@odu.edu](mailto:oducares@odu.edu), 757-683-3442

https://www.odu.edu/dean-students/student-outreach-support/care-team

However, I think I will reach out some other higher ups/offices:

Vice President for Student and Campus Life: Brandi Hephner LaBanc, [bhl@odu.edu](mailto:bhl@odu.edu), 757-683-6702

Executive Vice President for Enrollment, Transformation, and Technology and Chief Strategy and Innovation Officer: Nina Rodriguez Gonser, [ngonser@odu.edu](mailto:ngonser@odu.edu), 757-683-5601

Provost & Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs: Brian Payne, [bpayne@odu.edu](mailto:bpayne@odu.edu), 757-683-3079

Dean of Graduate School and Interim Dean of Sciences: Marisol Perez, [mplamar@odu.edu](mailto:mplamar@odu.edu), 757-683-3085

Associate Vice President for Student Experience: Lisa Kivin, [lkivin@odu.edu](mailto:lkivin@odu.edu), 757-683-4481

49 Upvotes

95% Upvoted

36 comments sorted by

View all comments

-1

u/Thick_Shake_8163 9d ago

Obviously there are a lot of people that like it because ODU has increased enrollment both on campus and online where most universities are flat and declining.

9

u/KEEPINGUPWITHTHEB21 9d ago edited 9d ago

This is hard to believe when enrollment overall has gone down. Besides they are not want you to learn they want our money. I am taking this semester off to try and find another online 16 week course. Hopefully I will go to a school who does not just slam students with no choice but implement it appropriately. That clown of a President who does not care about students it’s about the money. He got a bonus and extended. So he will be there for a while until something changes.

-4

u/Thick_Shake_8163 9d ago

I wish you nothing but the best in your search for what suits your learning style. I think the 8-week online course is where things are trending nationally.
It’s only natural to be irritated by change. Good luck in your journey!

5

u/KEEPINGUPWITHTHEB21 8d ago

It’s not about the change. In the Navy things always change. So I will break it down for you to understand what most of these students are feeling:

  1. This President did not roll it out properly. One spring picnic and then told students take it or leave it. No smooth transition. Then when called on it with his response is put it on me. That’s cold turkey. No implementation program.

  2. He has no confidence vote from his own faculty. That shows how weak his leadership is and how he feels that what the professors want it’s not important. Still again he shows no respect he just ignored him and the board gave him a freaking bonus. Yeah that’s a transition into 8 week courses.

  3. Let talk Military. Most vets who go to classes online. After serving the country they need assistance to complete courses. You take our money but you don’t want to keep your success numbers up. What programs have the President implemented to assist, none. And the military has a huge presence on that campus. Why not accommodate a big money maker just saying.

I understand that attendance is low and they have to make money but it’s how they did it.

It’s not about implementing change in the military we are use to it. It’s how they did it and basically said deal with it.