University Governance
PROPOSED Rules to Create the Academic Calendar:
Submitted by the University Calendar Committee, December 3, 2008
Barbara Phipps, Chair
Highlights of the Proposed New Rules:
- The proposed new rules were developed after study of the academic calendars of peer and Big 12 institutions outside Kansas and after thorough discussion of committee members assessed needs of KU students, faculty, and staff. The guiding criterion was pedagogical appropriateness.
- These rules will require the University to petition the Kansas Board of Regents to permit an academic year that consists of 148 days rather the current 150 days.
- Fall semester classes will always begin on a Monday.
- Spring semester classes will always begin on a Tuesday.
- There will be a 2-3 week Spring Interim before the beginning of Spring Semester.
- There will be a 3-week Summer Interim before the beginning of the Summer Term.
- Stop Day will be eliminated and replaced by the 15th Week Policy.
Highlights of Committee Discussion:
- Committee members favored beginning Fall Semester on a Monday before, but as close to, Labor Day as possible given other calendar concerns and requirements.
- The committee members, including staff who deal with grade posting, transcripts, and student probation/dismissals, did not express significant concerns that the Fall semester would end closer to the Christmas holiday. Two people expressed concern that grade submission deadline might be after Christmas, but it was noted that the deadline under current calendar rules also sometimes falls after December 25.
- Committee members were in consensus that the beginning of Spring semester should not be earlier than under the current calendar.
- Committee members opposed the current practice of beginning Fall and Spring classes on a Thursday or Friday. Faculty commented that it is generally better pedagogically to begin instruction earlier in the week, as they believe that students become engaged more rapidly.
- Chris Meiers, Registrar at KU Medical School, expressed concern that Spring Commencement be late enough that the School can complete all of its course modules prior to graduation. It was concluded that starting Spring semester so that Commencement would typically be the weekend before Memorial Day weekend would incorporate the Med School schedule.
- Given the desire of the KU administration to eliminate Stop Day, students on the Calendar Committee stated the opinion that the 15th Week Policy would be a fair trade-off.
PROPOSED NEW RULES:
Rules for FALL AND SPRING SEMESTERS
- Each term consists of 74 instructional days. There are 30, 75-minute T, Th class periods for a total of 2250 minutes. There are 44 M, W, F class periods for a total of 2200 instructional minutes. Note: This term length and a Monday start day bring the minute totals for M,W,F classes vs. T,Th classes to only a 50 minute discrepancy. This is smaller than the current difference in Fall semester.
- The 15th week of the semester (last week of classes) The 15th Week Policy is in effect. That is, no exams may be given except regular quizzes that constitute no more than 10% of the course grade. Papers and projects may be due as long as they have been assigned in writing no later than the end of the 8th week of the term. Attached is a draft 15th Week Policy, adapted from that of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Classes during the 15th week meet M – F.
- Final exams run Monday – Friday of the 16th week.
Rules for FALL SEMESTER ONLY
- Fall term classes begin the Monday before Labor Day if Labor Day falls prior to September 6. If Labor Day falls on September 6 or 7, then Fall classes begin on the Monday two-weeks prior to Labor Day (August 23 or 24) .
- No classes on Labor Day.
- Fall Break is EITHER Monday, Tuesday the 8th week of class OR Monday, Tuesday prior to the Thanksgiving Break . Note: This decision should be made by SenEx and/or University Senate as the UCC was unable to reach a consensus.
Rules for SPRING SEMESTER ONLY
- There is a Spring Interim that begins typically on January 2, or the closest next weekday after January 1, and ends the Friday prior to Martin Luther King Day.
- Spring term classes begin the Tuesday following the Martin Luther King Holiday when MLK Day is between January 19 and 21. When MLK Day is between January 15 and 18, classes begin on the Tuesday that is eight days after MLK Day.
- Spring Break is M – F of the week following the 8th week of classes.
- Commencement is the Sunday following the end of final exams week.
Rules for SUMMER TERM ONLY
- There is a Summer Interim that begins the Monday following Commencement and runs for three weeks.
- Summer term begins the Monday following the end of Summer Interim and runs 8 weeks.
- No classes on July 4.
- Summer term ends Thursday of the 8th week.
2012-2013 Proposed Academic Calendar
FALL SEMESTER
Monday, August 27, 2012 Fall Classes Begin
Monday, September 1 Labor Day Holiday
Monday, Tuesday October 15, 16 Fall Break
Wednesday – Friday, November 21-23 Thanksgiving Break
Monday – Friday, December 10-14 15th Week (No exams)
Friday, December 14 Last Day of Classes
Monday – Friday, December 17-21 Final Exams Week
Number of Instructional Days 74
M-W-F Minutes 2200
T-Th Minutes 2250
SPRING INTERIM
Wednesday, January 2, 2013 to Friday, January 18
(These are approximate dates. Some courses start earlier and/or end earlier.)
SPRING SEMESTER
Monday, January 21, 2013 Martin Luther King Holiday
Tuesday, January 22 Spring Classes Begin
Monday – Friday, March 18 – 22 Spring Break
Monday – Friday, May 6 – 10 15th Week (No exams)
Friday, May 10 Last Day of Classes
Monday – Friday, May 13 – 17 Final Exam Week
Sunday, May 19 Commencement
Number of Instructional Days 74
M-W-F Minutes 2200
T-Th Minutes 2250
SUMMER INTERIM
Monday, May 20 – Friday, June 7
(These are approximate dates. Some courses start earlier and/or end earlier.)
SUMMER TERM
Monday, June 10 – Friday, July 5 First 4-Week Term
Monday, July 8 – Thursday, August 1 Second 4-Week Term
Monday, June 10 – Thursday, August 1 Eight-Week Term
2013-2014 Proposed Academic Calendar
FALL SEMESTER
Monday, August 26, 2013 Fall Classes Begin
Monday, September 2 Labor Day Holiday
Monday, Tuesday October 14, 15 Fall Break
Wednesday – Friday, November 27-29 Thanksgiving Break
Monday – Friday, December 9-13 15th Week (No exams)
Friday, December 13 Last Day of Classes
Monday – Friday, December 16-20 Final Exams Week
Number of Instructional Days 74
M-W-F Minutes 2200
T-Th Minutes 2250
SPRING INTERIM
Thursday, January 2, 2014 to Friday, January 17
(These are approximate dates. Some courses start earlier and/or end earlier.)
SPRING SEMESTER
Monday, January 20, 2014 Martin Luther King Holiday
Tuesday, January 21 Spring Classes Begin
Monday – Friday, March 17 – 21 Spring Break
Monday – Friday, May 5 – 9 15th Week (No exams)
Friday, May 9 Last Day of Classes
Monday – Friday, May 12 – 16 Final Exam Week
Sunday, May 18 Commencement
Number of Instructional Days 74
M-W-F Minutes 2200
T-Th Minutes 2250
SUMMER INTERIM
Monday, May 19 – Friday, June 6
(These are approximate dates. Some courses start earlier and/or end earlier.)
SUMMER TERM
Monday, June 9 – Thursday, July 3 First 4-Week Term
Monday, July 7 – Thursday, July 31 Second 4-Week Term
Monday, June 10 – Thursday, July 31 Eight-Week Term
2014-2015 Proposed Academic Calendar
FALL SEMESTER
Monday, August 25, 2014 Fall Classes Begin
Monday, September 1 Labor Day Holiday
Monday, Tuesday October 13, 14 Fall Break
Wednesday – Friday, November 26-28 Thanksgiving Break
Monday – Friday, December 8-12 15th Week (No exams)
Friday, December 12 Last Day of Classes
Monday – Friday, December 15-19 Final Exams Week
Number of Instructional Days 74
M-W-F Minutes 2200
T-Th Minutes 2250
SPRING INTERIM
Thursday, January 5, 2015 to Friday, January 16
(These are approximate dates. Some courses start earlier and/or end earlier.)
SPRING SEMESTER
Monday, January 19, 2015 Martin Luther King Holiday
Tuesday, January 20 Spring Classes Begin
Monday – Friday, March 16 – 20 Spring Break
Monday – Friday, May 4 – 8 15th Week (No exams)
Friday, May 8 Last Day of Classes
Monday – Friday, May 11 – 15 Final Exam Week
Sunday, May 17 Commencement
Number of Instructional Days 74
M-W-F Minutes 2200
T-Th Minutes 2250
SUMMER INTERIM
Monday, May 18 – Friday, June 5
(These are approximate dates. Some courses start earlier and/or end earlier.)
SUMMER TERM
Monday, June 8 – Thursday, July 3 First 4-Week Term
Monday, June 6 – Thursday, July 30 Second 4-Week Term
Monday, June 6 – Thursday, July 30 Eight-Week Term
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1 This permits Fall final exams to end no later than December 23.
2 The Calendar Committee was divided on the issue of Fall Break, so we decided to reflect this in our report. Student members were in favor of the mid-October time frame, while faculty and staff preferred the week of Thanksgiving. Several faculty members made the point that attendance in classes the first part of Thanksgiving week is low, so having a one-week fall break at that time is more pedagogically sound. Students, on the other hand, stated that the break around mid-term gives them more flexibility in studying, alternative break options, and a chance to visit family mid-term. Of seven comparable institutions surveyed, four have merged Fall Break with Thanksgiving Break, two retain the October Fall Break, and one has no Fall Break.