Academic Calendar Guidelines and Committee

Policy Statement:
The Calendar Committee, chaired by the Registrar, will use the policy to construct and publish academic calendars at least five years in advance. If the Calendar Committee must propose a calendar that deviates from these principles, then the calendar must be reviewed by the Curriculum Committee and approved by the President's Cabinet. Standard dates following the policy will require Calendar Committee approval upon review and response from President's Cabinet.

The annual academic calendar will be constructed in accordance with stated policies and leadership guidance. The goal of the Calendar Committee is to establish an academic calendar with the interests of the students, faculty, and staff in mind. ​

Who the Policy applies to:
Faculty, students, staff, and administrators.

Why the Policy is necessary:
The policy makes the construction of the academic calendar routine, allows for the publication of academic calendars at least four years in advance or more, and allows for long-term planning for the campus.

Responsibilities:

• Office of the Registrar:  Academic calendar submission and certification.
• Calendar Committee:  Academic calendar creation and publication.
• President's Cabinet:  Review and administrative final approval.

Procedure:
Academic Calendars will be constructed by Academic Affairs based on the Academic Calendar Policy and published at least six months in advance or more when possible.

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General Structure

• Each Academic Year will consist of three terms.  The term dates may differ by class level.
• For OMSI and II, the academic year will consist of three substantially equal terms totaling 39 weeks.
• For OMSIII, the academic year will consist of three substantially equal terms totaling 51 weeks.  One week break during holiday.
  
• For OMSIV, the academic year will consist of three substantially equal terms totaling 44 weeks. Breaks are not provided in OMSIV.
• Drop/Add Date is five class days from the beginning of the term. Drop/Add is flexible for Clinical Rotations.
  
• Census Date is the twelfth day of classes.
  
• Spring break dates will align (as possible) with local school district spring break dates.
  

HOLIDAYS
Fixed holidays for OMSI and OMSII students include the following:

• 4th​ of July
• Labor Day
• Columbus Day/Indigenous People's Day
• Veteran's Day
• ​Thanksgiving Break [Wednesday through Friday]
• Holiday Closure
• Martin Luther King, Jr Day
• Spring Break
• Memorial Day
• Juneteenth

Special Notes for Holidays:

• Students rotating in the third and fourth years are subject to the holiday schedules of the site(s) at which they are rotating.  Students rotating in their third and fourth years should expect to work on most holidays, consistent with medical practices nationwide.
• Faculty/Staff and Student may not have the same holiday.  There may be holidays in which students are on break, but faculty/staff are not.
  

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• I. The Calendar Committee will meet at the beginning of each academic year for final approval of the Academic Calendar for the upcoming academic year.  Ad hoc meetings may be called by the Chair as needed.
  
• II. The membership of the Calendar Committee consists of the following areas:

Office of the Registrar, Chair: Freda Strack, MSEd

Assistant Dean of Student Affairs: Hannah Piechowski, PhD

Office of Admissions: Erin Dinan

Office of Financial Aid: Theresa Cowan [TCS]

Office of Student Accounts: Mary Udelhoven [TCS]

Associate Dean for Assessments & Outcomes: Rosemary Niedens

Chair of the College of Medicine Curriculum Committee, or designee: Kimberly Long, PhD

Pre-Clinical Education: Dr. Angela Carrick

Clinical Education: Dr. James Joseph

​Human Resources: Bruce Davison

• ​III. Initial Calendar Approval is voted upon by the Calendar Committee.
  
• IV. The initial calendar will be brought forward by the Registrar, Chair, in concert with Financial Aid (for compliance).  The initial calendar will be discussed by the Calendar Committee and voted upon by committee members.  The vote is a simple majority of the committee members present.
• V. Substantive changes cannot be made to the academic portion of the Academic Calendar after November 1 preceding the effective year. [i.e., November 1, 2022, for the 2023-2024 academic year.]
• VI. Minor changes that do not affect the Academic Calendar dates may be made to only those portions of the calendar that are NOT tied to the academic year. [i.e., changes in dates for orientation, extra-curricular activities, etc.]