Analysis of the Academic Calendar of Southeast

University

Summary
The only way to hold 28 classes per semester is to utilize
basically all available Saturdays throughout each semester.
There is practically no flexibility in this regard.
The total numbers of Monday-Wednesday available on Summer
2014 were 23. So faculty has to take additional 4 (four)
classes. The total number of makeup classes should be 556.
The report available in the BBA Program office shows the
number of Saturday makeup classes was 293, (I assume 5%
materiality) which represents 53% of 556 all required regular
make up and advance classes. This is roughly in line with what
should have happened.
A directive was issued on June 29, 2014 (Ref: DR/A/06-14/N098)
& office order dated April 03, 2014 (ref: SEU/467/2014) which
strongly urged faculty members to take make up and
additional classes on Saturday. However, even without the
directive, faculty members have no option but to utilize
Saturday classes to fill the 28 class commitment. There is no
way around it. (Notice and Office order attached)
Occasionally, some faculty members will face special situations
making it necessary to take classes on Thursdays and
Saturdays simply to fulfill their commitment. Aside from health
issues, it is expected that some faculty members will resign to
join another academic institution, make up for special events,
go on leave for higher studies, and so on.

Analysis of the Academic Calendar of Southeast

University
1. Each trimester in the BBA Program is supposed to be designed in a way
such that there are 28 classes of 1.5 hours per trimester resulting in 42
hours (28 classes x 1.5 hours per class) of class time. This 28 class
block includes three exams, (two mid-terms, and a final) which means
that 25 meetings will be for actual class room instructions. Each
trimester will be designed as follows:
Number of Classes
Exam One
Exam Two
Final
(Centralized)
Total classes

25
01 (After at least 08 classes are held)
01 (After at least 08 classes are held after the
Mid 1)
Exam 01 (After at least 08 classes are held after the
Mid 2)
28

2. The BBA Program Class routine is designed following a format known

as ST & MW format class routine (ST = Sunday & Tuesday and MW =
Monday & Wednesday). Any missed class (due to holidays, hartals and
political disturbances, or personal reasons) of ST schedule was to be
made up on Thursday. Any missed class on MW schedule was to be
made up on Saturday. This was done to facilitate holding 25 classes
per semester. There was a general instruction issued to build up
advance classes to offset anticipated loss of class availability due to
holidays, hartals and political disturbances. There was an official
directive issued in this regard. In response to that directive, many
faculty members had taken advance classes on Thursdays and
Saturdays. Thursdays and Saturdays were utilized almost to the extent
of 100 percent in June.
3. Let us look at Summer-2014 Semester plan and the probable plan for
Fall 2014.
a. Summer 2014 was originally scheduled to start on 22/05/2014 & end
on 5/09/2014. Due to 3rd Convocation of the start was delayed by a
week and classes actually started on June 1, 2014, resulting in
shrinking the trimester by a week.
Let us look at a possible
configuration of classes until the first exam which was scheduled to
take place in the week of June 26 to July 2.

Sunday- Tuesday Class

Mon
th

Thu
rs

Thur
s

Thur
s

June

01

03

08

10

Possibl
e
Advan
ce

1
5

1
7

Possibl
e
Advanc
e

22

2
4

Possibl
e
Advanc
e

29

Or
(Mid
1)

(Mid
1)

Please note again that there was an official directive issued about building
up classes ahead of schedule. For Sunday Tuesday classes, advances
classes are scheduled for Thursdays, which became unavailable for
advance classes of Monday Tuesday slot. Assuming that there was no
advance class in the first week, there were only 3 Thursdays available for
advance classes (June 12, June 19, and June 26)
Monday Wednesday Class: June (Shortfall one or two classes)
Mon
th

June

0
2

0
4

0
7

M W Sat

W Sat

0
9

16

1
8

1
1

Holid
ay
(Shab
-eBarat

21
Possibl
e
Advanc
e

Sat

2
3

25

28
Possibl
e
Advan
ce

30

Or
Mid
1

(Mid
1)

Assuming that there was no advance class in the first week, and June 14
was a holiday for Shab-e-Barat, there were only 2 Saturdays available for
advance classes (June 21, and June 28). Since these two days were the
only available days to have advance classes, that is what professors did.
If these two days were utilized, then 2 x 139 (MW sections) = 278 classes
had to be held on Saturdays (unless you could create another 24 hour day
somewhere within the week).
b. Now, let us look at a possible configuration of classes after the first
exam which was scheduled to take place in the week of June 21 to July
2 until the Mid 2. Since we are concerned about only Saturdays which
is used for advance classes of Monday-Wednesday slot (Thursdays are
not available), we will consider only Monday Wednesday slot.
Monday Wednesday Class: July (Shortfall at least 3 classes)

Mon
th

M W Sat

July

0
2

05
Possibl
e
Advan
ce

M W Sat
0
7

0
9

12
Possibl
e
Advan
ce

W Sat

14

1
6

19
Possibl
e
Advanc
e

Sat

21
Mi
d2

23
Mid
2

Shab
-eQadr

Eid

Eid

Note that there are only 4 MW classes (5 if July 2 was used for class and June
30 was used for Mid 1) available before Mid 2. So, there is a structural
shortfall of four (or three) classes in July. If two advance classes were taken
in June, all the advance classes should have been used to cover this shortfall
and yet leave a shortfall of at least one class by the end of July. For many
classes, actually one class backlog would remain. Three days were available
to cover the June shortfall of one class and build up for August. If all
available (three) Saturdays are used for advance classes (Only two will count
toward advance classes and one will cover the structural shortfall to this
point), we would have all Saturday rooms being fully used to stay ahead to
cover the shortfall in August.
c. Now, let us look at a possible configuration of classes after Mid 2 which
was scheduled to take place in the week of July 21 to July 6 until final.
Monday Wednesday Class: August (Shortfall: At least one class)
Mont M W Sat
h
Aug
ust

0
4

0
6

09
Possibl
e
Advan
ce

M W Sat
1
1

1
3

16
Possibl
e
Advan
ce

W Sat

18 2
0

23
Possibl
e
Advanc
e

Sat M

25

Fina
l

Final

Fina
l

W
Fina
l

Note that there are only 7 MW classes. That is a structural shortfall of one
class in August. If a professor had an advance class by the end of July in
store, he/she need not take a class on Saturday. Those who could not stay
ahead, were forced to take classes on one of the available Saturdays.
As it is clear, in Summer 2014, there was structural shortage of 4 class days
requiring 556 Saturday classes (for 139 sections).

A grim reality is Southeast University professors, unlike all other university

professors, take three classes per week for every section they teach
throughout the whole semester..
4. Let us ask the question: Was it an aberration in Summer 2014?
We will look at the possible calendar for MW slot for Fall 2014.
a. Fall 2014 was originally scheduled to start on 21/09/2014 & end on
12/18/2014. Classes are actually starting on September 24. Let us look
at possible configuration of classes until the first exam which has been
scheduled to take place in the week of October 25-31

Monday Wednesday Class: September-October (Shortfall: one or two

classes)
Month

W Sat

M W Oct
211

W Sat

Septem
ber/
October

2
4

2
9

1
3

1
5

27
Unlike
ly

0
1

Eid

18
Possib
le
advan
ce

M W Sat

2
0

2
2

25
Possib
le
Advan
ce

27
Mid
1

29
Mid
1

Seven regular weekdays are available for class resulting in a structural

shortfall of one or two classes. Assuming no advance class right after the
first class, October 18 and October 25 may be used to cover the shortfall,
which may not leave any advance class in store for November and
December.
b. Now, let us look at a possible configuration of classes after the first
exam which has been scheduled to take place in the week of October
25-31. Note that we could not build for November.
Monday Wednesday Class: November (Shortfall 1 or 2 classes)
Month

M W Sat

Novemb
er/
Decemb
er

0
3

0
5

08
Possibl
e
Advan
ce

M W Sat
1
0

1
2

15
Possibl
e
Advan
ce

W Sat

1
7

1
9

22
Possibl
e
Advan
ce

24

26
Mid
2

1
Mid
2

There are 7 classes regularly available leaving a structural shortfall of 1

class. Three Saturdays are available for advance classes. If all three
Saturdays are utilized, there will be only two (at most) advance classes.
c. Now, let us look at a possible configuration of classes after Mid 2 until
final to be held on December 22-31.
Monday Wednesday Class: December (Shortfall: At least three class)
Month

W Sat

M W Sat

M W Sat

Sa M

t
Decem
ber

0
3

06
Possi
ble
advan
ce

1
0

13
Possib
le
Advan
ce

1
5

1
7

20
Possib
le
Advan
ce

Fin
al

Fin
al

Fin
al

Fin
al

Fin
al

Only 5 regular class days are available leaving a structural shortfall of three
classes. Even those faculty members who succeeded in storing two advance
classes in November will have to take a Saturday class. Again, chances are
most professors will be taking three classes per week per section in
December.
Confirmed: A grim reality is Southeast University professors, unlike
all other university professors, take three classes per week for
every section they teach.
5. From the following Table, it should be clear that Saturday classes were
taken as they were necessary and depended on availability and exams.
To some extent, the advance classes concentrated around July 5-12
due to exhortation from an official directive to take advance classes
(sent out by late June), but perhaps also because of the realization that
that is the only way to satisfy the class meeting requirement numbers.
Percentages of classes taken in each Saturday are given in the table
below:

Class

Percentage
(%)

Class

Percentage
(%)

June 07

00%( First
Saturday)

August 02

00% (Eid)

June 14

00% (Holiday)

August 09

11%

June 21

17%

August 16

09%

June 28

08% ( First
Mid)

August 23

06%

July 05

22%

July 12

17%

July 19

10% (Second
Mid)

In BBA program, total numbers of sections were 288 in summer-2014. The

total ST sections (Sunday-Tuesday) were 149 and MW sections (MondayWednesday) were 139. The class room capacity utilization in MW (MondayWednesday) is 95%. That means there is shortage of class room to take
additional classes. So it becomes unavoidable to
take classes on
Saturday & total classes on Saturday should be 556 ( 4 Classes X139
sections).
6. When I check the records in the BBA Program office(Records attached),
I found the total number of makeup class were 293 from that 293
make up classes, full time faculty members had taken 180 classes and
part time faculty members had taken 113 classes. So, 293 classes
were taken which is 53% of 556 classes. (I consider materiality 5%)
7. I have classified makeup classes into two types.
I. Class missed due to personal reason.
II.
Class missed due to official holiday or other unavoidable reasons.
Makeup class missed due to personal
reasons

108

38%

Makeup as Advance

175

62%

We must recognize that, occasionally, personal issues will interfere with our
regular class plans. There were pregnancies, there were rush to meet class
meeting requirements so as to fulfill commitment to SEU before joining
another university. These personal issues resulted in holding some August
classes on Saturdays of June and July. In other cases personal issues, it just
resulted in shuffling classes between Saturdays, not between regular class
days and Saturdays.
Table: Three
8. The following table shows the date wise distributions of Saturday
classes:

June

June 07Class02

July

July 05Class-64

August

June 14Class00

June 21Class48

July 12 Class48

July 19 Class29

August 02 Class- August 09

00
Class-31

August 16
Class-25

June 28Class23

August 23
Class-16

Table: Four
Table: Five
9. I found that highest number of classes taken on 5 th July & 12th July. The
Possible reasons of taking this classes on this date is due to notice
issued by registrar office issued on dated June 29,2014.(Ref: DR/A/0614/1098 Attchment-03) .
10.
The Top Five( 5 ) full time faculty members who missed classes
are given below: (Do you really want to mention this? They
probably fulfilled their commitments first and missed classes
later.)

01.

Ms. Afreen Ahmad Hasnain

07

02.

Ms. Sigma Islam

06

03.

Mr. Fahim Shaker

05

04.

Ms. Zerin Tasnim

04

05.

Prof. Dr.Mohammad Salek

04 (?)

Table: Six
11.
The Top Five( 5 ) full time faculty members take advance make
up classes are given below:

Sl.

Name

Classes

Reasons

01.

Ms. Ummay
Salma

12
classes

She had to go maternity leave from

August.

02.

Ms. Jakia
Sultana

12
classes

She joined Dhaka University and

completed her courses earlier.

03.

Mr. Md.Fahami
Ahsan Mazmum

12
Classes

He joined Dhaka University and

completed his courses earlier.

04.

Mr.Shahran Abu
Sayeed

16
classes

Take Leave.

05.

Syeda Khadiza
Akter

12
classes

Not known

Table: Seven

Attachments/References:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.

Class Routine of BBA, summer 2014.

Office Order Ref: SEU/467/2014 Dated April 03, 2014
Notice Ref: DR/A/06-14/N098
Notice of Research Adda, 21st June 2014, issued at 12th June 2014.
Holiday Notice of 14th June 2014, issued on 12/06/2014.
Saturday Activity Report format, Ref: DR/A/07-14/No 102 Dated July
7,2014
7. Notice issued by SBS about Make up on 23/06/2014
8. Notice about Saturday report Ref: DR/A/06-14/NO93
9. Notice of EID holiday, SEU/983/2014 Dated 20/07/2014
10.
Academic Calendar 2014
11.
SBS faculty class monitoring report, summer 2014.
12.
Copy of Calendar

A
Short Report
On
Saturday Class Dilemma of
BBA Program
Prepared for:
Professor Dr. Md. Humayun Kabir Chowdhury
Honorable Pro Vice Chancellor
Southeast University

Prepared by:
A.S.Nooruddin Ahmed ACMA
Senior Lecturer & Coordinator ,BBA Program
Southeast University

Date of submission:17th September 2014