After multiple years of planning and consideration, Cuesta College will introduce a new “College Hour” beginning in the fall semester. As a part of the college’s new 16-week block schedule, it creates a 90-minute break on Tuesdays and Thursdays for students to connect with campus resources and activities.

Earth, Engineering and Physical Sciences Division Chair Bret Clark explained the context behind the college hour, “In order to make the course scheduling a little bit more reliable for students, several of us [faculty in the decision-making process] discussed the idea around a college hour – a time where students could congregate, and committees, or clubs could meet, and then students could actually get access to other services too, like counseling where they wouldn’t have to worry about classes being scheduled during that time,” Clark said.

The break, scheduled from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m., is designed to encourage students to spend more time on campus outside of class. Jason Curtis, vice president of instruction at Cuesta, said the idea grew out of optimism to help students feel more motivated to participate on campus after the COVID-19 pandemic.

“I think what we were looking for, especially coming out of COVID, was a way to engage students more and make both campuses feel more welcoming,” Curtis said.

Campus offices such as counseling, admissions, and financial aid are expected to see increased traffic during the break and plan to have staff available to assist students. Aside from counseling, Clark emphasized the importance of faculty supporting students during the hour block. “I expect that more faculty will schedule their office hours during that time so students can have more access to the faculty and perhaps spend more time in the Student Success Center,” he said.

However, Curtis and Clark both acknowledged that the break could pose challenges for some students, particularly commuters or those balancing jobs between classes. For students who rely on tight schedules to fit work around their classes, the additional gap in the day may feel like extra time spent waiting on campus.

ASCC Student Senator Milan Richmann explained that, as a busy tutor with biology labs, a mandatory break can help relieve stress. She commutes to Cuesta from Atascadero almost every day. During all the commotion, she said it can be hard to take time out of the day to get food, reconnect with peers, and check in with professors. She said that by taking that extra hour in the day, your brain can stay stimulated, keeping your body physically and mentally healthy.

In trying something new, Cuesta hopes for students to take the learning change with grace, as faculty will work out the kinks as they go. “We are trying something new,” Clark said. “And we plan on doing an assessment to see how it’s affecting students.”