Forum held to discuss possible changes to Academic Calendar

More reading days for students before finals, a mid-semester break during the fall semester, and a large University-wide Commencement were among the issues on the minds of faculty during a public forum April 29 about the University’s Academic Calendar.

The discussion, in Andre Schenker Hall, was led by co-chairs of the University Senate Calendar Task Force Jeffrey von Munkwitz-Smith, University Registrar, and Cameron Faustman, associate dean of the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources.

A second forum was held April 30.

The task force was established when President Michael J. Hogan asked the Senate Executive Committee to review the calendar to determine whether it could be adapted to better meet the needs of the University. He has suggested starting the academic year after Labor Day, and offering a longer and more comprehensive winter session.

Hogan points out that a later-ending spring semester would improve the chances for better weather for a large, outdoor Commencement ceremony at Rentschler field in Hartford.

He says a larger Commencement would not preclude schools or units from also holding their own receptions. A larger venue for degree conferral, however, would help attract major speakers and increase the University’s visibility.

In addition to the issues raised by Hogan, the task force was asked to consider the minimal number of reading days – a particular concern in the spring, when exams for undergraduates overlap with the graduate Commencement ceremony.

The task force was asked to examine problems associated with the current fall calendar, including the effects of the Labor Day holiday early in the semester and the long stretch without a break between that holiday and Thanksgiving.

The short period of classes before finals after a week-long Thanksgiving break makes it difficult for students to re-engage in their work. There are also problems associated with laboratory classes when breaks are shorter than a week.

“Essentially what the committee is looking for is input,” said Hedley Freake, chair of the Senate Executive Committee, in a separate interview.

“They want to hear what members of the community have to say about the existing calendar and suggestions they have for its improvement. They want to make sure that all points of view are taken into consideration.”