2-26: Academic Calendar Development Policy

Policy Overview

This policy describes the development process for and approval of Santa Fe Community College’s (SFCC or College) annual academic calendar.

Scope and Applicability

This policy ensures effective consideration of factors that contribute to establishing the annual academic calendar, and applies to SFCC students, faculty and staff as well as to the general public.

Policy Statement

The College shall develop an annual academic calendar to be published in the college catalog, class schedules and public website.

Policy Process

1. The college’s academic calendar shall include the dates of all operational activities that affect students and the public (such as registration dates and holidays during which the college is closed). These dates shall include, but not be limited to, the following:
   • class registration
   • graduation ceremony
   • midterm and final examinations
   • college holidays, and campus closings
   • petition to graduate deadlines
   • beginning and ending of summer, fall and spring semesters
   • return dates for full-time faculty
   • dates classes begin and end each semester
   • last date to drop class(es) and be eligible for a refund as well as to add, withdraw, and/or change status from credit to audit
   • payment deadlines.

1. The academic calendar should be of sufficient length to insure the equivalent of 16 weeks of instruction per semester (including final examination days) for all credit classes. Contact time for one lecture hour is 750 minutes and for one lab hour is 1,500 minutes per semester.
2. The Registrar and the Vice President for Academic and Student Affairs will make reasonable efforts to coordinate the college’s academic calendar with that of the public schools and regional institutions of higher education so that start dates and class breaks of any appreciable length (such as annual spring break) coincide in most systems.
3. The approved academic calendar is published in the college catalog, schedule and website. The SFCC website will also post tentative academic calendars for the next two

Statement of Accountability and Responsibility

The President, through the Vice President for Academic and Student Affairs and the Office of Academic and Student Affairs, shall be responsible for enforcing academic and student affairs procedures and policies. The Vice President for Academic and Student Affairs shall work with the different departments and offices to comply with this policy and develop procedures that will enforce this policy regarding awareness, prevention and remediation.

Associated Procedures

• Academic Calendar Development – Procedures

APPROVAL
SFCC Governing Board: 1/15/02
Revised and SFCC Governing Board approved: 8/6/03
Revised and SFCC Governing Board approved: 4/2/13
Revised and SFCC Governing Board approved: 6/18/13
Revised and SFCC Governing Board approved: 2/20/17