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<p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:black'>Just to keep you in the loop.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:black'>Tracy Leinbaugh, PhD, NCC, PCC-S<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:black'>Associate Professor <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:black'>Chair, Department of Counseling
and Higher Education<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:black'>205 McCracken Hall<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:black'>Ohio University<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:black'>Athens, OH 45701<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:black'> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:black'>Phone: 740-593-0846<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:black'>E-mail: <a
href="mailto:leinbaug@ohio.edu"><span style='color:blue'>leinbaug@ohio.edu</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:black'> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span lang=EN style='color:#363636'>Show, by your actions,
that you choose peace over war, freedom over oppression, voice over silence,
service over self-interest, respect over advantage, cooperation over
competition, action over passivity, diversity over uniformity, and justice over
all. </span><span lang=EN style='color:black'> </span><span
style='color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
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<div style='border:none;border-top:solid #B5C4DF 1.0pt;padding:3.0pt 0in 0in 0in'>
<p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'>From:</span></b><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'> Executive Vice
President and Provost Benoit [mailto:provost@ohio.edu] <b>On Behalf Of </b>Executive
Vice President and Provost Benoit<br>
<b>Sent:</b> Wednesday, January 13, 2010 9:25 AM<br>
<b>To:</b> faculty-list-2@ohio.edu<br>
<b>Subject:</b> Semester Calendar<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>Dear
Colleagues:<br>
<br>
In response to faculty concerns about the semester calendar, Faculty Senate
Executive Committee and the deans met over break to discuss alternative
calendars. Faculty Senate Executive Committee indicated that faculty
believed that the calendar recommendation adopted at the end of the Spring
Quarter 2009 did not allow for extended time in the summer to work on teaching,
research, and creative activity. <br>
<br>
In the spring, the deans recommended to Provost Krendl a calendar that
consisted of fifteen weeks of instruction, one week of final exams, and a
four-week break between fall and spring semesters. The Provost
accepted their recommendation. <br>
<br>
At the request of the Faculty Senate Executive Committee, the deans and I
agreed to revisit the calendar decision. We did so in light of
information gathered from the academic calendars of Ohio University's
presidential peers* and with the benefit of having more knowledge about what
the other Ohio universities involved in semester transitions planned to
do. <br>
<br>
All of the ten presidential peers have calendars that provide for the
conclusion of their spring semesters in early May. The ending of the
regular academic year in early May grants faculty at those institutions the
opportunity to have the longest possible summer to pursue scholarship and
pedagogical development. An early May semester conclusion also
allows students to have extended summer internship, education abroad, and
employment opportunities. Although discussions are continuing at the other Ohio
universities transitioning to semesters, it is clear that they are moving in
the direction of a fourteen-week semester with one week for final
examinations. <br>
<br>
After careful consideration of the academic advantages of a fourteen-week
semester and what is likely to be the norm for Ohio universities moving to
semesters, the deans recommended to me that the university adopt a semester
calendar that consists of fourteen weeks of instruction and one week of
examinations. <br>
<br>
When it comes to the length of the break between semesters, there is a great
deal of variability in what Ohio institutions are discussing and what exists at
the presidential peers. Much of that difference relates to whether
there is a mid-term break during the Fall Semester. <br>
<br>
The Quarters to Semester Transition Team, which developed the guiding
principles for the semester transition process in AY 2008-2009, collected input
from the campus community on a draft academic calendar. The
sentiment was strong for having a four-week break. Academic schools
and departments wanted the opportunity to offer four-week courses and education
abroad experiences; undergraduate students and graduate students preferred a
longer break in order to take advantage of educational opportunities or to have
a longer period of time to work; staff expressed a preference for four weeks to
have time to prepare their offices and campus facilities for the spring
semester. <br>
<br>
Taking all of these factors into account, the deans did not recommend a
mid-term break, which would have lengthened fall semester. They
instead recommended a brief hiatus for Thanksgiving and four-week break between
semesters. <br>
<br>
I have accepted the recommendation of the deans for an academic calendar that
consists of fourteen-week semesters with an additional week for final
examinations and a four-week break between semesters. <br>
<br>
My decision was based in large part upon the following facts: <br>
<br>
-- The fact that instructional time will remain the same as in a fifteen-week
semester with the addition of approximately five minutes to each class session.<br>
<br>
-- The fact there will be greater time in the summer for students to pursue
educational opportunities and employment.<br>
<br>
-- The fact that faculty will have enhanced opportunities to work on their
research, creative activity, and pedagogy.<br>
<br>
-- The fact that the fourteen-week calendar is the norm for our peer
institutions and most likely will be the option that other Ohio institutions
transitioning to semesters choose.<br>
<br>
-- The fact that undergraduate students, graduate students, staff, and a number
of departments and schools prefer the four-week break.<br>
<br>
The deans and I understand that there are compelling arguments for a
fifteen-week calendar, but after careful consideration of both options I
believe that moving to a fourteen-week semester calendar is the best decision
for the whole university. <br>
<br>
I would like to thank Faculty Senate Executive Committee for the assistance
that they provided in the discussions that took place with the
deans. <br>
<br>
Sincerely,<br>
<br>
Pam Benoit<br>
Executive Vice President and Provost<br>
<br>
<br>
*Presidential peers include: Indiana University; University of North
Carolina-Chapel Hill; University of Delaware: Washington State University;
University of New Hampshire; Clemson University; University of Connecticut;
Auburn University; University of Missouri-Columbia; University of Tennessee. </span><o:p></o:p></p>
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