ROWAN UNIVERSITY POLICY
Title: University Academic Calendar
Subject: Academic Affairs
Policy No: AA: 2017:08
Applies: University-Wide
Issuing Authority: Board of Trustees; Provost/Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs
Responsible Officer: Vice President for Academic Affairs
Adopted: 06/01/2016
Last Revision: 04/11/2017
Last Reviewed: 04/11/2017
I. PURPOSE
This policy establishes the procedures for development, review, and revision of the University Academic Calendar and the provisions governing the current Calendar.
II. ACCOUNTABILITY
Under direction of the Provost/Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs, the Vice President for Academic Affairs shall implement the University Academic Calendar and the Registrar, Deans, Department Chairs, and any and all officers of the University who oversee or schedule University events and processes that are governed by the Calendar shall ensure compliance.
III. APPLICABILITY
The University Academic Calendar applies to traditional courses offered on the Glassboro and Camden campuses Monday through Saturday during the Fall and Spring semesters. Additional calendars are independently developed by the Division of Global Learning and Partnerships, the Rowan University School of Osteopathic Medicine, the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, and the Cooper Medical School of Rowan University.
IV. POLICY
- The University Academic Calendar is developed by the Academic Calendar Committee in accordance with the University Academic Calendar Policy and under the auspices of the Office of the Provost. The Committee is convened by the Vice President for Academic Affairs and includes representation from the University Senate, Human Resources, the Office of the Registrar, the Office of Equity and Diversity, the Office of University Scheduling, the University Advising Center, University Athletics, the Faculty Center, the employee unions, and the Student Government Association. In addition, the committee includes consulting representation from the Dean's Office of each college and school, Global Learning and Partnerships, and other offices and units including Student Life, Public Safety, Financial Aid, and Facilities. The University Academic Calendar is approved by the Board of Trustees in five-year increments.
- The University Academic Calendar Policy ensures compliance with contract stipulations, State-designated holidays, and regulations specifying the number of instructional days and semester credit hours. Specifically, the policy governs the following parameters of the University Academic Calendar:
- Beginning and ending dates of the Fall and Spring semesters
- Days on which the University will not hold classes but will be open
- Days on which the University will be closed
- Timing of Spring Break and Final Exam Week
- Scheduling of Commencement
- In addition, the policy articulates the following provisions:
- Protocols for adjustments in response to inclement weather or other emergencies that disrupt the Calendar
- Protocols for revisions of the University Academic Calendar
- Authorization for independent development of calendars
- The Fall and Spring Semesters shall each consist of a minimum of 15 weeks of instruction, inclusive of Final Exam Week. Each week shall have six instructional days comprising Monday through Saturday. Every effort shall be made to ensure that there are 15 class meetings for each of the six instructional days with no instructional day to have fewer than 14 or more than 16 meetings.
- The University will recognize the official State holidays, which are listed below:
- New Year's Day
- Martin Luther King Jr. Day
- Presidents Day
- Good Friday
- Memorial Day
- Independence Day
- Labor Day
- Columbus Day
- Election Day
- Veterans Day
- Christmas Day
- The University shall remain open and classes will be held on the following State holidays:
- Presidents Day (February)
- Columbus Day (October)
- Election Day (November)
- Veterans Day (November)
- Good Friday (March or April).
- Employees may have the day off or have the option to work and be compensated according to policy.
- The University shall remain open but classes will not be held on the Friday after Thanksgiving.
- The Fall Semester shall not begin before September 1st and shall conclude before the Winter Break.
- If September 1st occurs on Tuesday, or Wednesday before Labor Day, Fall Semester classes shall begin before Labor Day. If September 1 falls on a Thursday or Friday before Labor Day or on Labor Day (Monday), Fall Semester classes shall begin the first Tuesday following Labor Day.
- Spring Break shall run for six days and shall occur between the eighth and ninth weeks of the semester. Normally Spring Break will begin the third Monday in March but this may be adjusted as needed to ensure that Spring Break is at mid-semester.
- A Reading and Review Day, on which no classes, exams, nor mandatory instructional activities may be scheduled, shall precede Final Exam Week in both the Fall and Spring Semesters. In the Fall, Reading and Review Day shall immediately precede Final Exam Week. In the Spring, Reading and Review Day shall be the Friday before Final Exam Week.
- Final Exam Week, in both the Fall and Spring Semesters, shall run for six days, inclusive of Saturdays but not Sundays. In the Spring Semester, Final Exam Week shall be scheduled for Monday through Saturday of the week preceding Commencement.
- An additional scheduled day will follow Final Exam Week in the Fall Semester. This day will serve as flexible time for the purpose of providing an alternative final exam day available to students with scheduling conflicts or accommodations requiring scheduling at a test site, or for rescheduling in the event of a University closing because of inclement weather or other emergency.
- Commencement Week ceremonies shall be held on Monday through Friday following the conclusion of Final Exam Week during the Spring Semester.
- In consultation with relevant offices, the Vice President for Academic Affairs shall review the upcoming University Academic Calendar each spring. If a change to the University Academic Calendar is necessary, the Vice President for Academic Affairs shall determine whether the change conforms to the intention of the policy or arises from unforeseen circumstances. Based on this determination, the Vice President for Academic Affairs shall implement an appropriate protocol for amendment of the calendar, including Board of Trustees approval if appropriate.
- In order to provide needed flexibility, the Division of Global Learning and Partnerships is authorized to independently develop calendars for its programs and course offerings, including online, offsite, hybrid, accelerated, extension, graduate, and summer/winter. The Vice President for Global Learning and Partnerships may establish start and end dates, duration, and structure of terms as appropriate for these offerings. Courses offered online, off-site, or through other mechanisms not involving Rowan University classroom or laboratory facilities may be scheduled at the discretion of the Vice President for Global Learning and Partnerships, in consultation with University Scheduling and the appropriate Deans and subject to compliance with applicable regulations and statutes.
- In order to accommodate the distinctive nature of the medical school curricula, the Cooper Medical School and the School of Osteopathic Medicine are authorized to independently develop calendars for their programs. The Deans may establish start and end dates, duration, and structure of terms as appropriate for the educational objectives and experiences associated with the schools. The lengths and structures of terms for the Cooper Medical School and the School of Osteopathic Medicine are governed by and documented through their accreditation bodies, the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME) and the Committee on Osteopathic College Accreditation (COCA), respectively.
- The Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences is also authorized to independently develop the calendar for its programs. The Dean of the School of Osteopathic Medicine, in consultation with the Senior Associate Dean of the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, may establish start and end dates, duration, and structure of terms as appropriate for the educational objectives and experiences associated with the school.
- Calendars developed by the Division of Global Learning and Partnership and the Cooper Medical School shall adhere to the guidelines regarding State holidays on which the University will remain open and will hold classes. Calendars developed by the School of Osteopathic Medicine and the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences shall adhere to their established policy and practice regarding holidays, opening of the campus, and holding of classes.
- Rowan University programs and courses offered on the campuses of other institutions shall adhere to the calendars of those institutions as appropriate.
- All University calendars shall be updated and maintained in accordance with established policy. All University calendars shall be posted on a single web site and shall be published annually in the appropriate Catalogs.
VI. ATTACHMENTS
- Attachment A - Campus Calendars Webpage
- Attachment B - Human Resources Employee Benefits Summaries
- Attachment C - Attendance Policy (for traditional classes offered on the Glassboro and Camden campuses)
- Attachment D - Final Exam Policy
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Attachment A
Campus Calendars Webpage
http://www.rowan.edu/home/about/campus-calendars
Attachment B
Human Resources Employee Benefits Summaries
http://www.rowan.edu/hr/benefits/index.html
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Attachment C
Attendance Policy
(for traditional classes offered on the Glassboro and Camden campuses)
https://confluence.rowan.edu/display/POLICY/Attendance+Policy
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Attachment D
Final Exam Policy
"Under Development"
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