Faculty Senate Links

 Home

 About Us

 Membership
 Constitution
 Bylaws
 Committees List

 Meeting Dates

 Minutes
 Subjects Under
 Discussion
 Meeting Agendas
 Motions Passed
 Senate History
 Strategic Plan (PDF)
 
 Mid-semester
 Teaching Evaluation
(DOC)
 

Quicklinks A-Z Directory Athletics Bear Necessities Bookstore Calendar Campus Security Fogler Library Center for the Arts MaineStreet Phone Directory President's Office Privacy Policy Web DSIS

Faculty Senate

Motions Passed

Motions passed October 23, 2002

.Motion regarding seven year rotating calendar.

Preamble

The Faculty Senate adopted a seven-year rotating calendar in April of 1992. Since then, the calendar has been modified at least three times. First, the winter break between the final exam period and the commencement of classes for the Spring semester was extended with the adoption of a “Winter Term” that began in January, 1998.  Second, the final exam period was changed from a four-day schedule to a five-day schedule. Finally, a holiday in honor of Martin Luther King Jr. was added on the third Monday in January.  Two of these changes have created difficulties for some students. 

First, the extension of the winter break resulted in complaints from a number of students who were required to take classes or to perform internships during “May term”. Those complaints centered on the extension of May term activities into June and made summer employment difficult.  Some also complained that the extended winter break was a waste of time for those not attending classes. Second, the extension of the exam schedule, while advantageous for most students, resulted in the last day of final exams being December 24th in 2004 and 2010, making travel difficult during the holiday period.

The proposed calendar returns to the seven year rotating calendar of 1992 and results in May term beginning at least one week earlier. Second, the calendar proposes that classes  begin on August 30 in 2004 and 2010 avoiding the Christmas Eve exam problem.

Motion

The seven year rotating calendar, outlined below, should be adopted by the University.

Seven Year Rotating Calendar

Approved by Faculty Senate 4/1992

Changes since then are in italics.

I. When Labor Day is September 1:

            Fall semester (2003, 2008, 2014)

                        Classes begin Tuesday, September 2

                        Fall break Monday and Tuesday, October 13-14

                        Thanksgiving Break Begins Wednesday, November 26

                        Classes end Friday December 12

                        Final exams December 15-19 (5 days)

            Spring semester (2004, 2009, 2015)

                        Classes begin Monday, January 12

                        No classes on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, January 19

                        7 weeks of classes

                        2 week spring break

                        7 weeks of classes

                        Maine Day penultimate Wednesday (approved through 2006)

                        1 week  (5 days ) of final exams

II. When Labor Day is September 2:

            Fall semester (2002, 2013)

                        Classes begin Tuesday, September 3

                        Fall break Monday and Tuesday, October 14-15

                        Thanksgiving Break Begins Wednesday, November 27

                        Classes end Friday, December 13

                        Final exams December 16-20

            Spring semester (2014)

                        Classes begin Monday, January 13

                        No classes on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, January 20

                                    (Same as spring semester above)

III. When Labor Day is September 3:

            Fall semester (2007, 2012)

                        Classes begin Tuesday, September 4

                        Fall break Monday and Tuesday, October 8-9

                        Thanksgiving Break Begins Wednesday, November 21

                        Classes end Friday, December 14

                        Final exams December 17-21

            Spring semester (2008, 2013)

                        Classes begin Monday, January 14

                        No classes on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, January 21

                                    (Same as spring semester above)

IV. When Labor Day is September 4: 

            Fall semester (2006, 2012)

                        Classes begin Tuesday, September 5

                        Fall break Monday and Tuesday, October 9-10

                        Thanksgiving Break Begins Wednesday, November 22

                        Classes end Friday, December 15

                        Final exams December 18-22

 

            Spring semester (2007, 2013)

                        Classes begin Tuesday, January 16 {Martin Luther King, Jr., Day}

                                    (Same as spring semester above)

V.  When Labor Day is September 5:

            Fall semester (2005, 2011)

                        Classes begin Tuesday, September 6

                        Fall break Monday and Tuesday, October 10-11

                        Thanksgiving Break Begins Wednesday, November 23

                        Classes end Friday December 16

                        Final exams December 19-23

 

            Spring semester (2006, 2012)

                        Classes begin Tuesday, January 17 {Martin Luther King, Jr., Day}

                                    (Same as spring semester above)

VI. When Labor Day is September 6:

            Fall semester (2004, 2010)

                        Classes begin Monday, August 30

                        Fall break Monday and Tuesday, October 11-12

                        Thanksgiving Break Begins Wednesday, November 24

                        Classes end Friday December 10                     

                        Final exams December 13-17

 

            Spring semester (2005, 2011)

                        Classes begin Monday, January 10

No classes Martin Luther King, Jr., Day, January 17                

            (Same as spring semester above)

VII. When Labor Day is September 7:

            Fall semester (2009, 2015)

                        Classes begin Monday, August 31

                        No Classes on Labor Day, Monday September 7

                        Fall break Monday and Tuesday, October 12-13

                        Thanksgiving Break Begins Wednesday, November 25

                        Classes end Friday December 11

                        Final exams December 14-18

            Spring semester (2010, 2016)

                        Classes begin Monday, January 11

                        No classes on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, January 18

            (Same as spring semester above)

2.         Motion to amend the Constitution of the Faculty Senate regarding the composition of the Committee on Committees.

Preamble:  It is difficult to find ten faculty members to take an active part in the Committee on Committees.  As a result, the Committee on Committees frequently operates without a full complement of members.  The purpose of this motion is to bring the constitution into alignment with current practice.   

 Motion:

To amend Article VII. Section 2 of the Constitution of the Faculty Senate as shown below:

Section 2. The Committee on Committees. Except for the Committee on Committee, in consultation with the appointed Chair, the Senate President will appoint the members of each standing committee. In appointing members, the Senate President will

consider the need to balance membership continuity with new members in a given year. Committee membership is for one year, with the possibility of reappointment. The Committee on Committees, elected by the Senate, will consist of ten one faculty sSenate member from each college, one faculty Senate member from the University of Maine Cooperative Extension and the Graduate Student Association Representative to the Faculty Senate. The faculty members shall reflect the proportional representation to each college on the Senate, with provision that each participating college and CES shall have at least one member. It shall be the responsibility of the President, Vice President/President-elect, and the Secretary to determine the number of positions to be allocated to each college. The Committee on Committees shall, at the request of the University President or designee, recommend faculty members to standing and ad hoc administrative committees or shall provide a list to the President or designee of faculty members who have agreed to serve on a specific committee.

NOTE:  Additions are shown in bold and deletions as strike outs.  The current version is shown below for reference.

The proposed change will align the membership of the Committee with existing and past practice.

In accord with the provisions of the Constitution of the Faculty Senate, 45 days advance notification is needed for changes to the Constitution.  It will then require a 2/3 vote to go forward.  The motion will be on the agenda for the November 20 Senate meeting.  10 days after publication of the minutes, the vote goes to the entire faculty.  If 2/3 of the responses received are for the motion, it passes.  Any comments to the committee for amendments must be done 15 days before the vote.

Return to Motions Passed
 

Faculty Senate
The University of Maine
205 East Annex
Orono, ME 04469-5725
Phone: (207) 581-1167
E-mail: ellen.woodhead@umit.maine.edu