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October 26, 2007 > News > Newest proposed academic calendar features longer break, rescheduled finals

Newest proposed academic calendar features longer break, rescheduled finals

By Rachel Carlson | For the Thresher

The newest proposals for the academic calendar will primarily affect the spring semester with a later start date to lengthen the winter break and a common exam period for all students.

Several factors may impact future revisions. Ecology and Evolutionary Biology professor Evan Siemann said key Rice policies may be debated, such as commencement occurring on a Saturday, the spring mid-term recess, and the two exam per two day rule.

Siemann, Registrar David Tenney and Associate Dean of Architecture John Casbarian worked with Student Association President Laura Kelley and the SA to revise the calendar. Siemann said the team hopes to finalize the 2009-‘10 calendar for the Faculty Senate meeting Nov. 14.

The need for modifications stems from by protests regarding the earliness of spring semester’s January start date. Siemann said the changes also respond to complaints that different finals weeks for seniors and non-seniors cause discrepancies in grading criteria.

These changes are proposed for spring ‘09, Siemann said. The semester would start Jan. 12 instead of the Jan. 5 and the term would consist of 67 instructional days as opposed to the current 70. Siemann said reducing instructional days would allow classes to start later in the spring while preserving the mid-term recess.

The proposed academic calendar for spring ‘10 would include a Jan. 11 start date, with days off for Martin Luther King Jr. Day, spring break and mid-term recess, Siemann said. There would be a common study period for all students and a common finals period.

Siemann said that spring ‘09 is too soon to implement a common finals week for seniors and non-seniors, but that 2009-‘10 is far enough in the future to permit such revision.

Typically, seniors take finals beginning the day after the end of classes, while non-seniors are granted a five day study period. Siemann complained that professors must assign senior grades before non-seniors have taken exams, leading to discrepancies in inter-year grading criteria. Siemann said senior grades are sometimes used to set the entire class’s curve.

One problem with implementing a common finals week is that it would have to occur later in the spring to leave room for a five day study period, reducing the time between finals and commencement. This would violate Section Five of the Faculty Senate Constitution, which requires all seniors to be approved by faculty prior to the ceremony. The shortened period between finals and commencement would limit the time for this screening process.

Siemann, Casbaraian, and Tenney envision two scenarios to address this difficulty. In the first, commencement would take place as scheduled with non-certified graduates participating in the ceremony, Siemann said.

Or, in an alternative schedule, commencement would be delayed until the third Saturday in May, one week after its traditional day. Residential colleges would remain open for all students for an additional week after the end of finals.

Jones College senior David Brown said he would want to be certified before commencement.

“If I’m going to walk across the stage, I want to make sure that it means something,” Brown said. “I would hate to have my parents and grandparents watch me graduate, and then find out that I’m ineligible.”

In order to occupy students who are staying for a later commencement, Siemann proposed an “outreach week” coordinated through the Center for Civic Engagement. This program would involve students in community service activities in the Houston area.

The option of staggering deadlines for final grades is also being explored. Currently, final grades are due from professors on a universal date. Siemann said if grades were due at a set time after a final instead of on a common date, more seniors could be approved before commencement.

Siemann said he referred to other prominent institutions when making the calendar. He said that Rice’s current spring calendar includes an abnormal number of instructional days when compared to other prominent institutions. The academic calendars for Princeton, Harvard, Yale and MIT have, respectively, 60, 64, 65 and 63 instructional days in the spring. Siemann said Rice historically had between 67 and 68 instructional days in its spring calendar. It began a 70-day schedule in 2004.

“Reducing instructional days would put us more in sync with the schedules of other institutions,” Siemann said.

Siemann said Rice’s short winter break is a common grievance.

“One thing that we hear from everybody across the board is that winter break is too short,” he said.

Martel sophomore Rose Cahalan agreed.

“My friends at Ivy League schools have a month off,” Cahalan said. “We need to extend winter break. Right now, it’s ridiculous.”

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