Syracuse University

The Academic Calendar Committee is seeking comment from the Syracuse University and State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry communities on a proposed five-year academic calendar (2004-09).

The University academic calendar provides structure for the academic year. A committee consisting of faculty and staff members, and chaired by Interim University Registrar Maureen Breed, has worked to create a calendar that reflects the core values of the University and supports an academic culture of excellence in alignment with the University's Academic Plan.

"The 2004-09 academic calendar raises the bar academically, yet preserves core elements that have served us well in the past, " Breed says.

The calendar proposes to:

• Increase the number of full instructional weeks in the fall semester from between 10 and 11 weeks (current calendar) to between 12 and 14 weeks by making Labor Day an instructional day, eliminating the one-day Autumn Break, and adding Monday and Tuesday of Thanksgiving week to Thanksgiving break.
  
  
• End the fall semester earlier and provide a longer winter break with additional time for grading activities by reducing the number of reading days from four to three (one weekend and two half days during the exam period) and reducing the number of final examination days from four and a half to four. Examinations would begin the Monday after the last day of classes and end on Friday of the same week.
  
  
• End the spring semester a day earlier by reducing the number of reading days in the spring from four to three. Exams would end on Wednesday instead of Thursday.
  
  

The proposed 2004-09 calendar, the current 1999-2004 calendar and a description of the calendar features, changes and rationales can be found on the Web at http://cstl.syr.edu/Registrar/. Comments on the proposed calendar may be offered through the above Web site or mailed to 103 Steele Hall. The deadline for offering feedback is Friday, Dec. 13. The committee will review and consider feedback in formulating its final proposal, which will be submitted to Vice Chancellor and Provost Deborah Freund.