Seeking student feedback on potential academic calendar changes

January 22, 2019
Ian A. Waitz, Vice Chancellor for Undergraduate and Graduate Education | Mary Callahan, Senior Associate Dean and Registrar, 1981–2020 |

Dear Graduate Students,

We are reaching out to engage you in an ongoing community conversation about potential changes to the academic calendar, including moving the timing of our Hooding and Commencement ceremonies to the end of May in most years.

The goal of this dialogue is to collect student, faculty, and staff input so that we can propose enhancements that, among other things, accomplish two objectives:

  1. Enable a longer summer break; and
  2. Address concerns we’ve heard about students delaying internships or employment opportunities, or being forced to extend housing rental agreements, to accommodate graduation events that currently take place in early June.

You can learn more about the history, goals, and details of this effort online. And you can help shape the direction we head in by reviewing the different calendar permutations being considered and then filling out this short feedback form by February 15. You can also attend a student forum on this topic on February 12 at 7 p.m. in 4-270.

We will incorporate the community feedback we receive into the final academic calendar proposal we are tentatively scheduled to present at the March faculty meeting. The faculty will then vote on the proposal at their April meeting. Approved changes would go into effect at the start of the 2019–2020 Academic Year.

Thank you in advance for taking the time to provide us with your opinions and insights on the best ways to enhance the academic calendar. We look forward to your feedback!

Sincerely,

Ian A. Waitz
Vice Chancellor for Graduate and Undergraduate Education

Mary Callahan
Senior Associate Dean and Registrar