Skip to main content
Close
A-Z
Quick Links

Appendix 3: Calendar

 PDF

Full-time faculty members are contractually obligated and accountable to the College to:

  • Teach their course load as assigned.
  • Meet their service obligations.
  • Hold regular, published office hours.
  • Participate in committee and department work.

Faculty are also accountable for non-teaching contract days as follows:

  • 8 final examination days (4 Fall and 4 Spring).
  • 2 administrative meetings, one each semester. (Agenda, time, and location announced by the Office of the Provost.)
  • 2 reading days (1 Fall and 1 Spring).
  • 1 grading/evaluation day (end of Fall).
  • 1 graduation/grading/evaluation day. (Attendance at Graduation required).

The calendar attached to the PDF version exhibits the following criteria, to meet standards set by accrediting and governing bodies: 

  • Fall term ends no later than December 21.
  • Spring term ends no later than May 15.
  • Summer term ends no later than August 21.
  • Each of the two basic semesters consists of a minimum of 75 instructional and testing days.

The calendar also responds to faculty, student, and administration requests in the following ways:

  1. It utilizes all available instructional days as teaching and testing days in both Fall and Spring terms.
  2. It includes two Reading days: one prior to Fall and one prior to Spring final examinations. Reading Days are intended for faculty to be accessible to students and assist students. Therefore, administration and faculty should not schedule meetings where faculty would be required to attend during reading days.
  3. In order to maintain two-hour final examinations, exams are spread over four days. Even and odd hour days for Monday, Wednesday, and Friday classes as well as even and odd hour days for Tuesday and Thursday classes. No other exams should be given during finals week, as recommended by the Board of Trustees, 1994.
  4. It includes one grading/evaluation day at the end of the Fall term and one graduation/grading/ evaluation day at the end of the Spring term.
  5. The day following the four test days in Spring Term shall be designated as graduation/grading/ evaluation day. It is dedicated to Graduation ceremonies and other appropriate commencement activities.
  6. Spring Break will occur between the first and second 8-week half-term classes.
  7. The Summer term can be adjusted for limited specific programs which may require a ninth (9) week of instruction due to national standards. All classes must end no later than August 21 as required by the Board of Regents.
  8. To ensure that the College is meeting the needs of the students, accreditation, sponsoring agencies, contracts, and grants, certification and licensure, etc., the Faculty Class Days Calendar may need to be adjusted by the instructional department in collaboration with Academic Administrators and approval of the Provost of Academic Affairs. If the College is to accomplish its mission, different roles need to be recognized and instructional programs offered with some flexibility, e.g., the School of Applied Technology, Nursing, Continuing Education, etc.
    1. When adaptations to the approved calendar are contemplated by instructional areas or programs, care should be taken to provide adequate time off between semesters for faculty and students. Proposed changes to the calendar in a specific area should be reviewed by the Senate Academic Calendar committee and the Discussion Team to ensure harmony with the basic provisions of the Faculty Handbook.