The block schedule may seem like a relatively unimportant topic, especially in the midst of terrors like the explosions in Boston this week, but the actions of Thursday’s College Council meeting could lead the way to major changes at Fordham College at Lincoln Center (FCLC).

This, however, would not be change we can believe in.

The proposed schedule changes discussed in Harry Huggins’ page one article “Professor Proposes Block Changes” would drastically alter FCLC’s landscape if implemented.

Without the three-hour activity block on Thursdays, we would have no time for important events like the research fair, the regular club fairs and the upcoming Spring Fling. These events are what create a sense of college community on a campus without a quad or a big student center. In the midst of the busiest city in America, those events bring many of us together. The club fairs, especially, are where most clubs recruit the bulk of their members, and without the time to hold them, club participation would most likely suffer.

This proposal also represents a troubling shift in the makeup of the FCLC family from a healthy, unique mix of resident and commuter students to a commuter-hostile environment. Daily classes for introductory language courses would obviously hurt commuters by forcing them to come in every single day and add to their travel costs.

For years, the Thursday club block allowed commuters to come to FCLC during the day and experience the same kind of community-building activities that residents enjoy at night. Yes, the proposed schedule would bring us in-line with Rose Hill’s schedule, but we are not Rose Hill. We don’t have a large, open campus with tree-lined avenues and room to spread out on Eddie’s Parade. We dash in and out of the 60th Street doors every day on our way to internships and part-time jobs, cherishing the small opportunities to snag some free food from a Thursday event on our way to our 2:30 class.

What about our commitment to commuter students? Right now, we have a high commuter population, but if these proposed changes ever take place, those numbers would surely change as commuters lose their sense of community and transfer to friendlier schools.

As we approach the end of another school year, we should consider Fordham’s current path. Do we really want our school to lose its status a welcoming home for New York City’s commuting students? Do we really think a few more hours of “free” time on Wednesday afternoons will make up for the loss of community, especially when adjuncts could still hold classes then?

Thankfully, these changes would have to be approved by more than this week’s College Council and would not take effect until the 2014-2015 school year at the earliest. The Observer will be reporting online the events of this week’s college council, and we invite you to share your comments on these issues online.