ATHENS, Ohio - It's a question everyone from the football team to the debate team can take sides on at Ohio University - semesters vs. quarters.

Ohio University is on the quarter system, dividing classes into three parts of the year. Most four year universities are on semesters which divides the year in two parts.

A 23 member committee has been looking at changing OU's school year, but they can't seem to decide which is best.

In a report to school president Roderick McDavis this week, the committee says both systems have advantages.

Committee chair and Professor of Communication Systems Management Phyllis Bernt said no one could make a good case to stay the same or covert to semesters.

"The report shows support for either alternative, quarters or semesters. I look forward to discussing the findings with the committee and other members of the campus community," said McDavis in a statement Wednesday.

The committee's survey of faculty showed 44 percent favoring quarters and 47 percent favoring semesters, but the range of faculty opinions by college was wide, as was the range of faculty opinions by number of years teaching.

Among students, 68 percent of undergraduate students favored quarters, but master's and doctoral students leaned more toward semesters (47 percent and 64 percent respectively). Among administrators, roughly equal percentages favored quarters, semesters or had no preference.