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Cornell University

Office of the Dean of Faculty

Connecting & Empowering Faculty

Resolution 96: Academic Calendar

Passed: May 9, 2012

Sponsor: Calendar Committee: Jeff Doyle, Chair, J. Adams, G. Block. L. Brown, C. Dembosky, D. DeVries, W. Fry, C. Heckman, K. Hubbell, M. Matier, L. Meyerhoff, L. Pollack, N. Raps, K. Walsh

Senate Discussions: April 11, 2012

 

Resolution

Whereas the Cornell academic calendar has not undergone significant review for several decades, and

Whereas the spring semester contains only one break that is in the latter half of the semester, and

Whereas the early part of the spring semester occurs during the coldest and dreariest part of the year in Ithaca, and

Whereas, the week before spring break appears to be a week of intense student stress, and

Whereas, local public school calendars and Cornell’s calendar do not align,

Therefore be it resolved that the University Faculty Senate adopt the proposed academic calendar, as illustrated for 2012/2013 below.

Fall schedule includes 68 days of instruction and 12 Mondays

Spring schedule includes 69 days of instruction and 13 Mondays

Thirteen study and exam days

Five study days (including a Sunday break in the middle of exams in the fall and a Friday break in the middle of exams in the spring)

Eight days of exams (including Saturday in Fall and Saturday and Sunday in Spring)

Background

The 2010-12 Calendar Committee:

  • Jeff Doyle (Plant Biology, Chair), Faculty
  • Kate Walsh (Hotel, Vice-Chair), Faculty
  • Lois Pollack (Applied and Engineering Physics), Faculty
  • William Fry, Dean of Faculty
  • Kent Hubbell, Dean of Students
  • Laura Brown, Vice Provost for Undergraduate Education
  • David DeVries, Associate Dean (Arts and Sciences)
  • Cassie Dembosky, University Registrar
  • Michael Matier, Academic Planning and Information Systems
  • John Adams, Institutional Planning
  • Leslie Meyerhoff, Employee Assembly
  • Christopher Heckman, Graduate & Professional Student Assembly
  • Geoffrey Block, Student Assembly
  • Natalie Raps, Student Assembly

Some key documents produced by this committee:

Various calendar-related resolutions passed by the Student Assembly (SA), Graduate and Professional Students Assembly (GPSA), and the Employee Assembly (EA):

  • SA Resolution on Non-negotiable Aspects of the New University Calendar (2012)
  • GPSA Resolution Supporting the New University Calendar (2012)
  • EA Resolution Supporting the New University Calendar (2012)
  • SA Resolution on the 2014 Final Exam Schedule
  • SA Resolution on Study Week (2014)
  • SA Resolution on Final Exam Schedule (2015)
  • SA Resolution on Adjusting the Academic Calendar (2016)
  • SA Resolution of Indigenous Peoples Day (2016)