TEXT OF PRESIDENT McCORMICK'S MAY 25, 2010 RESPONSE TO THE REPORT AND RECOMMENDATIONS ON CHARGE S-1003, FALL 2010 ACADEMIC CALENDAR

I am writing in response to the Report and Recommendations on Charge S-1003 on the fall 2010 Academic Calendar, as adopted by the University Senate on April 30, 2010. I thank the members of the Academic Standards, Regulations and Admissions Committee for their attention to this issue and for their consideration of changes to future academic year calendars by October 2010.

My administration is pleased to accept the Senate's recommendation to make changes in the fall 2010 academic calendar in the designation of class days in order to avoid the issues related to having the first Monday class meeting take place near the end of the second week of classes and after the close of the add/drop period. Specifically, I accept the recommendation to have Monday classes meet on Wednesday, September 8, 2010, and to have Wednesday classes meet on Monday, November 22, 2010. By copy of this letter, I am notifying Arun Mukherjee, Director of Space Management and Scheduling, and Don Smith, Vice President for Information Technology, of the need to implement these changes, and I thank them for the considerable work required to make such changes in the room assignment process at this late date. I further ask them to suspend the room assignment process for the 2011-12 academic year and beyond until the Senate has considered adjustments to Monday class meeting days in future academic calendars. I approve the Committee's solution to this academic calendar issue and anticipate their timely recommendations regarding any similar changes needed in the academic calendar for 2011-12 and beyond.

Sincerely yours,
Richard L. McCormick

c: Steven Diner, Chancellor, Newark Campus
    Philip Furmanski, Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs
    Ken Isuo, Registrar
    Arun Mukherjee, Director of Scheduling and Space Management
    Wendell Pritchett, Chancellor, Camden Campus
    Don Smith, Vice President for Information Technology