The University Senate proposes that the
following principles be used to determine the University's academic
calendar.
- Each semester shall have 14 weeks of instruction. Classes shall be
dismissed in the Fall for Labor Day. Classes shall be dismissed at noon on
Martin Luther King, Jr., Day on the third Monday of January. Normally, Winter
Carnival dismissal shall be at 10:00 p.m. on the Wednesday of the fourth week
of Spring semester, with classes beginning again the following Monday. The
total number of annual instructional days shall be 136 1/2.
- The Fall semester, comprised of instructional days, holidays, and a
one-week break, shall be scheduled so that the last day of exams shall fall on
a date in the period from December 15 through December 22, inclusive. Under
this system, classes normally shall start the Tuesday after Labor Day. The
years when Labor Day falls on September 6 or 7, class shall begin the Monday
before Labor Day. The Spring semester, comprised of instructional days,
holidays, and a one-week break, shall begin on the Monday that is 24 days
after the last day of finals in the Fall semester.
- Fall and Spring semesters shall each have a one week break. Break in the
Fall shall be the week of Thanksgiving; Spring break shall be at the midpoint
of the semester.
- Fall commencement shall take place either on the Saturday immediately
following the last day of classes or the last day of final exams. The latter
day shall be adopted except when the last day of finals is very close to
Christmas. Spring commencement shall be held on the Saturday immediately
following the last day of finals.
- Summer sessions shall consist of an accelerated twelve-week term beginning
so that the last day of the term shall fall two weeks before the beginning of
the fall semester. Accelerated courses may be offered for the full twelve
weeks, or during two back-to-back 6-week sessions. These 6-week sessions shall
consist of 28 days of instruction, a day for finals, and either the Memorial
Day or 4th of July holidays. Class schedules shall be constructed so that
summer courses provide approximately the same amount of contact hours as
during the regular semester. (Half-term classes could meet for 90 minutes per
day, for example, to obtain 42 contact hours.)
Other summer opportunities following alternative schedules, such as intensive
field courses, may also be held during the summer session.
- The Senate will conduct a review of this calendar after one year of
operation with the intent of identifying and remedying any concerns that
emerge in its actual use.
Adopted by Senate: February 3, 1999