S. 12-26
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MEMORANDUM
ATTENTION
FROM
RE:
Senate
Jo Hinchliffe, Assistant Registrar
Secretary, Senate Calendar \ ..
Committee
^<sMJ-
Academic Dates 2012-2015
date
December 14, 2011
pages
1/2
At its meeting of 9 December 2011 the Calendar committee reviewed, for approval by Senate, the
schedule of dates for future semesters commencing Fall 2012 and finishing Summer of 2015. This
includes revisions to the previously approved schedule to accommodate the new B.C. Government Family
Day statutory holiday. The committee is proposing to move the Reading Break a week later in February
to include Family Day.
The committee also reviewed a concern with regard to the difficulties experienced by lab courses,
particularly in the sciences, when term starts in the middle of the week. We have taken into account the
various factors including teaching requirements, orientation requirements, statutory holidays and believe
we have developed a schedule that accommodates all concerns.
SFU has a three-term in-take system, which challenges the university when it comes to orienting new
students at the beginning
of each term, and also evaluating students' academic standing or graduation
eligibility at the end of each term. In order to provide students with the best academic and university
experience, the following principles have been adopted in determining the optimal academic calendar of
dates.
Principles
1. Each semester has 63 teaching days. (Senate Paper 03-56)
2. Exams
may be scheduled on Sunday if required. (Senate Paper 05-127)
3. There is a week long Reading break in February of each year starting in 2011 (Senate Paper 08-70)
4. All instructors submit grades on-line by the deadline date to allow for quicker end-of-term evaluations.
5. Orientation for new students is a vital component for student retention, development and creating a
positive university experience.
Motion:
"That Senate approve a Schedule of Academic Dates 2012-2015."
Reminder: if Senate approves this schedule, it will require that the May Senate meetings be moved to the
Tuesday following the May long weekend.
Specificallythe dates are: May 22 2012, May 21 2013, May 20 2014, May 19 2015.
Academic Dates 2012-2015