COMMITTEE:                       Calendar

MEETING DATE:               October 8, 2003

PERSON PRESIDING:     John Crammer

ATTENDEES:      Brenda Eastman, Jeff Phipps, John Crammer, Rebecca Powers, Punam Madhok

EX-OFFICIO:       Amy Bissette (for Angela Anderson), Nancy House, Matthew Cohen (for Shannon O’Donnell)

Meeting was called to order at 3:30 pm in Rawl 106 by John Crammer.  The minutes for the September and October meetings will be considered at the November meeting.

Jeff Phipps reported on the Faculty Senate’s consideration of the committee’s proposals from the October 1 meeting.  The proposal for revising the Fall 2003 calendar to make up classes missed because of hurricane Isabel was passed by the Faculty Senate.  There were some questions about the five minutes added to TTh classes.  The revisions will be official after approval by the Chancellor.  Phil Rothman raised an objection to the Saturday make up day; it was decided that he can make arrangements for his classes.  Some members of the committee asked what percent of faculty will hold class on the make up Saturday.  It is assumed that some will not.  Another concern is how many students will not attend the make up class.

Crammer distributed a handout on the number of exams for each exam period.  Five of the exam days have about 12,500 exams or more and the 10, 1, and 4 TTh exam day has about 3600 exams.  When there is no reading day this light day is used as the first day of the exam period.

The committee looked over a sample calendar for 2005-2006 obtained by taking the 2004-2005 calendar approved last year and updating it to 2005-2006 with the holidays adjusted accordingly.  This is just to serve as a starting point for the calendar that the committee will generate.  Rebecca Powers asked about the purpose a Reading Day.  Matthew Cohen (representing SGA) pointed out that Reading Day is a day cherished by students.  He said that students might be willing to trade it for a dead week (no assignments due or tests given) during the last week of the semester.  It was noted that starting spring semester classes on a Friday results in no make up days.  The committee also discussed the dates for graduation in the fall and spring.  One question is why fall graduation comes before the end of exams; one reason is that putting fall graduation after exams puts the date too close to Christmas.  The committee discussed starting fall classes on Wednesday and spring classes on Friday.  Further discussion concerned whether to have three weeks or two weeks between summer and fall; one member pointed out that having only a two week break is a hardship on some faculty.  The committee also considered having a reading day in the fall and two reading days in the spring (this allows more flexibility in make up days).  Amy Bissette said that the decision on snow days affects the community.  Cohen said that 5,050 students live in residence halls and 16,700 are commuters.  Crammer asked how many of the commuters live in Greenville (e.g., apartments).  Punam Madhok expressed concern about students missing classes.  Cohen wondered what would happen if another hurricane occurred this fall.  Crammer noted that the dates for fall break and spring break are also coordinated with Pitt Community College and Pitt County Schools; dates for the PSAT, Founders Day, and teacher workdays affect when these breaks are scheduled.

Bissette pointed out the importance of continuing to require that grades be submitted within 48 hours of when the final exam is given.  This rule has an effect on retention of students and is especially important at the end of the fall semester.  The Registrar’s office would like to have all grades submitted by Friday at 5:00 (final exams end Thursday evening).  The university will close at 5:00 on Friday December 19 and re-open at 8:00 on December 29.  Time is needed to run multiple data programs for numerous departments that then notify students of their status.  Madhok expressed concern about having to give two final exams on the last exam day and getting grades turned in on time.  Bissette said that incompletes are assigned for late grades only after the exam period ends.  When incompletes are assigned because grades were not turned in, faculty are locked out of the system for those classes.  Some faculty never turn in grades; several faculty have not turned in grades from second summer session.  The 48 hour requirement is only for the Registrar’s office receiving the grades and does not account for the time needed by the Registrar to process grades and issue the necessary reports.

The next committee meeting will be Wednesday, November 5, 2002 at 3:30.  The committee will continuing discussing the 48 hour requirement for grades and the general form of the 2005-2006 calendar.

Meeting adjourned at 4:30 pm.