(Revised Dec. 2007; Dec. 2015; Jan. 2017. October 2017)
A. Date of Start of Semester and Timing and Length of Vacations: Within the constraints of all other relevant university policies, the date at which terms shall begin and the timing and length of vacations (mid-term, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Easter) shall be determined by the administration, with advisory comment by relevant constituencies, including the Faculty Senate.
B. Beginning with the Fall 2005 semester, the Thanksgiving Vacation will consist of three weekdays (Wednesday-Friday).
C. Length of Semester: The length of the semester (amount of contact time) shall be such as to meet, but not to exceed, the state mandate of 2,225 contact minutes for a 3-credit lecture course. This translates into the following: MWF 42 x 50 minutes, plus a 125-minute final; TTh 28 x 75 minutes, plus a 125-minute final.
A. No Fall Semester shall begin more than one week before Labor Day.
D. Number of Intact (M-F) Weeks: Each semester shall have at least 11 intact weeks.
E. Length of Intersession: No Spring Semester will begin before January 13th.
F. The mid-term break for the Spring Semester shall be a full week from Saturday through Sunday at about mid-semester
G. Midterm break can occur no earlier than the seventh week of the semester and no later than the eighth week.
H. The administration shall provide the Academic Calendar to the Faculty Senate by September 1 approximately three years in advance (example: 2010-2011 presented Sept. 1, 2007). Furthermore, the Senate will act on the calendar by its December meeting at the latest (for any calendar meeting this requirement)
I. To no longer hold classes on Martin Luther King Day, Jr. starting in the 2017-2018 academic calendar. Classes will start on the Thuesday immediately following Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.
J. The Academic Standards Committee will consult a representative of the Graduate Council concerning any matter that may affect the academic calendar.