COMMITTEE: Calendar

MEETING DATE: November 14, 2007

PERSON PRESIDING: John Crammer

ATTENDEES: Shanan Gibson, Punam Madhok, Johna Faulconer, John Crammer, Linda Teel, Donna Kain

EX-OFFICIO: Angela Anderson, Mary Farwell, Ira Lawson

VISITORS:

The meeting was called to order at 12:00 noon in Rawl 142 by John Crammer. Ira Lawson, the SGA representative is a new member of the committee; therfore, the committee members introduced themselves again. Lawson is Executive Assistant to the SGA president and is majoring in Secondary English Education. It was suggested and agreed that in the September minutes, Fall/fall should be consistently lower case. Shanan Gibson moved (Mary Farwell seconded) approval of the September 19 minutes as modified. Motion passed.

The committee discussed the consequences to the calendar of changing university commencement from Saturday to Friday (fall commencement will change to Friday in fall 2009). Donna Kain noted that the memo did not mention fall semester 2008 staying on Saturday. Gibson said that we had already planned on the change for fall semester 2009.

Angela Anderson said that she had been asked to mention a concern for this fall’s calendar. Hanukkah falls early this year during final exams. A freshman from Massachusetts wants to go home for Hanukkah and not have to return for a final exam on December 14. The student wanted to know whether the calendar committee takes Hanukkah into consideration. Farwell said that Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur are more important and Hanukkah is eight days long. Johna Faulconer said we are cognizant of all religious holidays. Crammer said that the Chancellor sends out an e-mail on Yom Kippur. Lawson said that students could talk to their professor about making accommodations and that professors are usually willing to do so.

The committee next worked on the 2009-2010 academic calendar. Crammer had sent out four options for changes. Gibson has talked with faculty and most of them preferred starting classes on Tuesday. Farwell said that she would not like a one day fall break (professors with a TTh teaching schedule would not get a break). Gibson asked whether we could have no fall break and have a week at Thanksgiving. Farwell said that the rumor is that “campuses without a fall break have a higher suicide rate,” and all schools in the UNC system have a fall break. Lawson said he would prefer to have a week for Thanksgiving, but it may be difficult if other schools (e.g., UNCW) have a fall break. Kain said we could survey faculty and students. Farwell suggested that we ask Anderson to check with the Executive Council. Lawson suggested not saying that we are moving fall break but that we are “rescheduling” it; he could ask the SGA to check student opinion. Anderson asked when the next SGA meeting is. Punam Madhok voiced concerns that a week off will students’ retention for classes and there is only a short time after Thanksgiving. Lawson said the SGA is working on a “dead week” before final exams. Crammer pointed out that old schedules show a week off for Thanksgiving in three years. Gibson said we might consider this for 2010-2011. Faulconer suggested that we talk with our advisees. Farwell suggested that we ask our classes. Kain said we could ask all the sections of ENGL 1100. Lawson said that we could e-mail all the freshmen. Farwell though that we should keep things informal for now. Gibson said a formal survey may have a bad impact on the Chancellor. Lawson asked why classes start on Friday in the spring. It was pointed out that starting on Friday means that we do not need a makeup day where classes for one day of the week meet on a different day of the week.

The consensus was that for fall semester 2009 we should use the Tuesday start with a Reading Day. Farwell asked why the calendar makes up Monday on the Tuesday after Labor Day. With the modified calendar there is an extra Tuesday instead of an extra Wednesday. Kain pointed that there is a problem with the common exams and the 5:00-6:15 classes; there are so many sections of ENGL 1100 that some have to be taught 5:00-6:15 (Johna, in my notes I have that there are infinitely many sections of ENGL 1100 but that may be an exaggeration.) Anderson said that there are sections numbered up to 150. Kain said she had talked to Wendy Schooner (not sure of the spelling here) and there may be a problem this fall. Anderson asked that the committee avoid adding more exams on the last day. Banner does not do grade replacement (this must be done by hand). Kain said that we need to develop a policy for resolving conflicts between common exams and 5:00-6:15 classes. Anderson said that there is a process for resolving student exam conflicts.

The committee will next meet in January after a meeting time that fits the members’ spring schedules is determined. The committee will work on the 2009-2010 calendar; the conflict between 5:00-6:15 classes and common exams; the minutes of the current meeting.

Meeting adjourned at 12:55 pm.