Simplifying the complicated summer schedule could be a move that benefits students and faculty alike.

Blair Lord, vice president for academic affairs, hopes to offer more classes during summer and give the university time to prepare for the fall influx of students.

The current system starts with a four-week intersession, followed by two more four-week sessions and a concurrent eight-week session.

The new system would replace the multiple sessions after intersession with one six-week session.

Lord did the right thing when he spoke to the Student Senate at its last meeting to get student input on the changes.

He has also been communicating with other constituents to run the idea past them.

Any system that offers a greater variety of classes during the summer is an improvement over the current system. Some students take summer sessions to finish up their degrees and need as wide a selection as possible to do so.

Offering more classes will also make summer school enticing to more students. The greater the number of classes offered, obviously, the more students will enroll. A greater variety of classes, similarly, will appeal to a wider variety of students.

Lord’s idea would also replace the full-color brochure of summer classes with a fully electronic system.

While the success of any such system is dependent on Eastern’s precarious network, the move would save the university about $35,000 per year.

The current schedule is more flashy than really necessary; students aren’t going to enroll in summer school because the schedule has a nice presentation. They’re going to do it because it’s a convenient way to pack in a few credit hours, and the switch will help the convenience factor.

Anyway, with budgets so tight for so long it’s now cliche to say so, every little bit helps.

Giving the university more down time between semesters could help with renovations, faculty recuperation and planning and student preparedness. Everyone likes a little extra vacation.

We encourage all campus constituents, from students to staff to faculty to back this change in the summer schedule.

Its positive effects will be far-reaching and comprehensive.

The change could go into effect as early as this summer.