Approved by the:			Twin Cities Campus Assembly February 20, 1997
Accepted and Implemented by the:	Administration - no action taken
Action by the:				Board of Regents - no action required


Amendment approved by the:		Twin Cities Campus Assembly April 19, 2001
Approved by the:	                Administration May 18, 2001
Approved by the:		        Board of Regents - no action required


		

TWIN CITIES CAMPUS ASSEMBLY
SUPPLEMENTAL POLICY OF THE UNIVERSITY SENATE
POLICY ON CLASSES, SCHEDULES, AND FINAL EXAMINATIONS
FOR THE TWIN CITIES CAMPUS

1. Standard Class Schedule and Class Period

a) Day School and Extension

There are two class periods. I. The standard "A" class shall be 50 minutes, with a 15-minute change period between classes. The first class of the day shall start at 0800. Classes meeting for two or more periods (such as labs), shall start and end according to this schedule. II. The standard "B" class shall be 75 minutes, with a 15-minute change period between. The first class of the day shall start at 0800. Such classes shall be scheduled only on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

All classes shall begin according to this schedule; actual starting times shall be determined by the Office of the Registrar in consultation with the Assembly Committee on Educational Policy.

Classes designed exclusively for graduate or professional students are exempt from these requirements, if held during "off peak" hours or if held in a room under the control of the department, and the campus scheduling office is consulted regarding the availability of classrooms.

For the purposes of this policy, regular day school is considered to run from 0800 to 1700. Classes offered through University College that begin after 1700, on weekends, or off-campus shall follow the schedule set by University College, and are are not restricted by days of the week or class periods set forth in this policy.

b) Summer School

Summer sessions are generally considered to be a more concentrated form of the regular day session, but alternative arrangements, specialty classes, etc., may also be offered. Classes may meet during the intersession, first or second term, or may extend across two or all three terms.

Intersession and summer classes must meet the Senate standards governing academic work per credit and contact hours per credit. Class duration is at the discretion of the department offering the class. The first class hour shall begin at 0800.

c) Overlapping Classes

Students shall not be permitted to enroll in back-to-back courses, when both are on either the Minneapolis or St. Paul campus, where the ending time of one class is less than 15 minutes before the starting time of the next class. Students shall not be permitted to enroll in back-to-back courses, when one is on the Minneapolis campus and one on the St. Paul campus, that start or end within 30 minutes of each other.

d) Exceptions

Exceptions to these provisions may be granted by the Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs; when general use classrooms are involved, the approval of the Office of the Registrar must also be obtained.

2. Athletic Events during Study Day and Finals Week

In those instances where post-season competitive events occur during Study Day or Finals Week (either of Day School or of Extension Classes), the Assembly Committee on Educational Policy shall consider them approved (that is, without requiring explicit action on the part of the Committee) subject to the following conditions:

1. The event is in logical progression in the sport, leading from in-season competition to conference or regional championships and then to national championship competition; and

2. The coach or other staff member in the athletic program can demonstrate to whomever is responsible for counseling in the intercollegiate athletics program that satisfactory alternative academic arrangements have been made; and

3. The event is conducted under the aegis of the NCAA or the appropriate national sport governing body if it is not the NCAA.

The chair of the Assembly Committee on Educational Policy will receive, on an annual basis, a report from the Director of Academic Counseling on the arrangements that are made pursuant to paragraph 2, above.

The Athletic Directors will annually report to the Assembly Committee on Educational Policy, early in the Fall Semester, on the number of student-athletes who missed any Study Day or any part of Final Examinations during the preceding year and on the academic performance of those student-athletes. These may be written reports.

Post-season or other athletic events that are invitational in nature, rather than a natural progression to a championship, and which would take place during Study Day or Finals Week, require the specific approval of the Assembly Committee on Educational Policy before participation may occur.

Subject only to the exception noted in this policy, no travel or competition is permitted from the period beginning with, and including, Study Day and ending with the last day of Final Examinations. Home events may be scheduled in the evening of the last day of Final Examinations if the examination schedule is concluded by 1800.

Interpretation by the Committee on Educational Policy: This Section 2 applies only to intercollegiate athletic teams, not teams competing under the aegis of the Department of Recreational Sports or any other unit of the University.

For Discussion:

This document is the application of the Senate policy on Classes, Schedules, and Final Examinations to the Twin Cities campus.

Section 1: This policy (and the draft implementing rules, "Recommended Semester Schedule Time Patterns and Rules," appended) are intended to establish a schedule for the Twin Cities campus that permits students to plan their classes rationally and that will permit maximally effective use of classroom facilities.

This draft is silent on whether classes on the Minneapolis and St. Paul campuses should have staggered starting times. The Assembly Committee on Educational Policy (ACEP) has been informed of arguments that both favor and oppose a staggered starting time, and intends to investigate the issue more thoroughly before making a recommendation to the Assembly. Such a recommendation will be made at the Winter Quarter meeting of the Assembly.

ACEP wishes it noted that it unanimously voted to delete from the "Recommended Semester Schedule Time Patterns and Rules" a proviso that "course meeting times must be distributed equally across the day. This is an example of the occasional conflict between demands for efficiency and the need for student-friendly actions. ACEP believes that students wish more classes scheduled earlier in the day, and thus does not favor any mandate requiring classes to be distributed evenly across the day. The Committee assumes, however, that departments will make maximal use of classrooms in responding to student needs.

Section 2: ACEP incorporated into this policy (section 2) other policies already on the books relating to competition in athletic events during study day and finals week; these provisions are not new.

One Credit Classes

1. Meet for one standard hour per week, begin at a standard "A" class meeting time, and meet for one class period.

2. One-credit classes meeting twice per week follow the rules for two-credit classes. One-credit classes meeting three times per week follow the rules for three-credit classes.

Two Credit Classes

1. Meet twice per week, begin at a standard "A" class meeting time, and meet for one class period, or

2. Meet once per week, begin at a standard "A" class meeting time, and last two class periods.

Three Credit Classes

1. Meet three times per week, begin at a standard "A" class meeting time, meet for one class period, or

2. Meet twice per week, use the standard "B" class meeting times (75 minutes), and meet on Tuesdays and Thursdays only.

Four Credit Classes

1. Meet four times per week, begin at a standard "A" class meeting time, or

2. Meet twice per week for two hours, scheduled at 0800, 1010, 1220, or 1430. Two hour meetings begin at standard "A" class meeting times, and should be spread so that MW, MF, or WF and TTh classes are evenly scheduled.

Five Credit Classes

1. Meet five times per week, begin at a standard "A" class meeting time, meet for one class period, and meet MTWThF.

2. For lecture/laboratory or lecture/recitation courses with three hours of lecture time, five-credit courses follow the rules for three-credit courses. For lecture/laboratory or lecture/recitation courses with four hours of lecture time, five-credit courses follow the rules for four-credit courses.

Standard "A" Class Start Times

0800		1325

0905		1430

1010		1535

1115		1640

1220

Standard "B" Class Start Times

0800		1400

0930		1530

1100		1700

1230