Chapter 8 – Academic Regulations
Part II – Procedure for Establishing the Academic Calendar
Part II contains rules and regulations governing procedures for the creation and approval of the academic calendar.
Academic Calendar
8.70.09 removed #18-19-34
8.70.10 Preparation. A six-year calendar for fall, winter, and spring semesters shall be maintained. In accordance with sections 8.70.20-8.70.61, the Office of Enrollment Services each fall shall prepare a new sixth-year calendar and submit it to the Academic Calendar Committee by the end of October. The Committee shall review the calendar on time so that the calendar can be presented to the Faculty Senate by December 1. #01-02-27, #02-03–32, #12-13-21, #16-17-23, #17-18-23, #18-19-34, #20-21-24
8.70.11 removed #18-19-34
8.70.12 Unless acting in response to the declaration by the Senate Executive Committee of an emergency situation as stated in By-Laws 4.28, the Academic Calendar Committee, adjustments to a proposed calendar may not be made on the floor of the Senate. Instead, a proposed calendar, along with instructions about possible revisions, must be referred back to the Academic Calendar Committee which shall resubmit the calendar at the next Senate meeting. #01-02-27, #16-17-23, #17-18-23, #20-21-24
8.70.13 Recommendations regarding rescheduling class days missed within an academic year as the result of natural calamity, work stoppage, etc. shall be the responsibility of the Academic Calendar Committee, whose proposal shall be subject to the approval by the Faculty Senate or, under circumstances requiring expeditious implementation, subject to the approval of the Faculty Senate Executive Committee only after a public hearing on the action scheduled with at least a 48 hour notice. #05-06–1 #14-15-32, #16-17-23, #17-18-23, #20-21-24
8.70.14 With the exception of circumstances stated in 8.70.13, changes to the calendar shall not be considered within eighteen months prior to the beginning of a semester. #05-06–1
8.70.20 The Academic Year. The beginning and ending dates of each semester shall be the same for all colleges and schools of the University. Exceptions may be granted to the Alan Shawn Feinstein College of Education and Professional Studies and to fully-online accelerated programs (which will run on the fully-online accelerated calendar). Requests for exceptions shall be received by the Academic Calendar Committee no later than October 1 of the preceding academic year. #14-15–08, #16-17-23, #17-18-23, #20-21-24
8.70.21 An Advising Day shall be scheduled prior to the beginning of classes each semester. The fall semester (including final examinations) must end no later than December 23. There shall be a 5-class-day mid-semester break in the spring semester. #01-02–27
8.70.22 One Reading Day is required after the last day of classes; two Reading Days during the examination period are preferred (see 8.51.25). #01-02–27, #18-19-24
8.70.23 A minimum of five days shall be scheduled for final examinations. Saturdays and Sundays may be used as final examination days under extraordinary circumstances. #01-02–27, #18-19-24, #19-20-8
8.70.24 Whenever possible, there should be a uniform distribution of class days among the five weekdays.
8.70.25 Classes will not be scheduled on the following days:
Labor Day
Thanksgiving Day and the day following
Christmas Day
New Year’s Day
Memorial Day
Independence Day #01-02–27
8.70.30 The Fall Semester. The fall semester (including final examinations) must end no later than December 23. #01-02–27
8.70.40 The Spring Semester. Mid semester break in the spring semester shall be the week immediately following midterm. #01-02–27
8.70.50 The Winter J-Term Session shall present programs in the colleges and departments of the University to permit students to accelerate or enrich their studies. It shall also offer an expanded program of graduate work, workshops, conferences and travel courses. #12-13–21, #18-19-34
8.70.51 The Winter J-Term Session runs from January 2 through the Friday before spring semester begins, with timetables and meeting schedules to be determined on a course-by-course basis. Travel-based courses may require travel before or after these dates. Grades for Winter J-Term courses will be due before the spring semester begins. #12-13–21; #13-14-2, #18-19-34
8.70.52 Winter J-Term Session courses shall be scheduled in accordance with procedures for fall and spring semesters. #12-13–21, #18-19-34
8.70.60 Summer Session. Summer Session 1 runs for five weeks starting on the Monday following Commencement. Summer Session 2 runs for five weeks starting on the Monday following the end of Summer Session 1. Summer Session 3 runs for 10 weeks starting on the Monday following Commencement and ends at the same time as Summer Session 2. Any course that does not follow the calendar for Summer Sessions 1, 2, or 3 is listed as alternate Summer Session. The open add period extends for 5 days for Summer Session 1, 2, and alternate Summer Session, and extends for 10 days for Session 3. These add periods apply to directed and independent studies. Summer Sessions may also include credit-bearing, faculty-led programs that entail travel and do not adhere to the timing of Session 1, 2, or 3. These travel programs shall be administered by the Office of International Education. #18-19-34
8.70.61 A six-year calendar for the Summer Session shall be maintained. The Office of Enrollment Services, in consultation with the Assistant Director of Summer Session and Winter J-Term, each fall shall prepare a new sixth-year calendar and submit it to the Academic Calendar Committee by the end of October. The Committee shall review the calendar and present it to the Faculty Senate by December 1. #01-02-27 #16-17-16, #16-17-23, #17-18-23, #18-19-34, #20-21-24
8.70.70 Fully-Online Accelerated Programs. The University shall maintain a separate accelerated academic calendar for specific fully-online accelerated programs directed at working adults. The program’s department and college shall determine whether the accelerated calendar is appropriate. #14-15–08, #18-19-34
8.70.71 The fully-online accelerated calendar shall consist of three terms (fall, spring, and summer), each with two 7-week sessions There shall be at least a five-day break between each session. To ensure that no session crosses a fiscal year, the first Summer Session in the fully-online accelerated calendar shall start on or before June 30 and the second Summer Session in the fully-online accelerated calendar shall start on after July 1. #14-15–08, #18-19-34
8.70.72 The two-year calendar for the fully-online accelerated program shall be developed by the Office of Online Education, in consultation with the Office of Enrollment Services, and submitted to the Academic Calendar Committee by March 1 of the year preceding the one during which the calendar is to become effective. The Academic Calendar Committee shall review the calendar for the fully-online accelerated program and present it to the Faculty Senate for approval by April 1 of the year preceding the one during which the calendar is to become effective. #14-15–08, #16-17-23, #17-18-23, #18-19-34, #20-21-24
8.70.73 The fall term of the fully-online accelerated calendar shall consist of two seven-week sessions with at least a five-day break between each session. Sessions shall begin on a Tuesday and end on a Monday. If the session begins or ends on a state holiday when URI offices are closed, the session shall start and/or end a day later. #14-15–08, #18-19-34
8.70.74 The spring term of the fully-online accelerated calendar shall consist of two seven-week sessions with at least a five-day break between each session. Sessions shall begin on a Tuesday and end on a Monday. If the session begins or ends on a state holiday when URI offices are closed, the session shall start and/or end a day later. #14-15–08, #18-19-34
8.70.75 The summer term of the fully-online accelerated calendar shall consist of two seven week sessions with at least a five-day break between each session. The first Summer Session for the fully-online accelerated calendar shall end on or before June 30. The second Summer Session for the fully-online accelerated calendar shall begin on or after July 1. Sessions shall begin on a Tuesday and end on a Monday. If the session begins or ends on a state holiday when URI offices are closed, the session shall start and/or end a day later. #14-15–08, #18-19-34