3.34 Academic Semester Start Dates

Board Policies
Chapter 3 - Educational Policies

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Part 1. Purpose
To establish the same official start date for all Minnesota State colleges and universities for fall and spring academic semesters.

Part 2. Background
The official Minnesota State start date is the academic semester start date for each college and university. Establishing the same academic semester start date provides students and the general public reliable information on a single start date for each academic semester, supports inter-institution student enrollment, and increases public awareness that all colleges and universities are part of Minnesota State.

Part 3. Official Minnesota State Start Dates
Each college and university shall implement the official Minnesota State start dates for fall and spring academic semesters. The official Minnesota State academic semester start dates apply to the official beginning date for classes and do not apply to the first day of the faculty work year which is established by each college and university.

Part 4. Establishing the Official Minnesota State Start Dates
The chancellor shall establish the official Minnesota State academic semester start dates for all colleges and universities. Special (or alternate) semester terms, designed to meet the needs of special student program or course cohorts, are exempted from the requirements of this policy as determined by the college or university presidents.

Part 5. Exceptions to the Official Minnesota State Start Dates
The chancellor may grant an exception to a college or university to allow an academic semester start date that is different from the official Minnesota State academic semester start dates and shall inform the Board of Trustees of all exceptions granted.

Related Documents:

Policy History:

Date of Adoption: 06/21/06
Date of Implementation: 08/27/07
Date of Last Review: 06/17/20

Date & Subject of Amendments:

06/17/20 – Relocated sentences from the Part 1. Purpose section to the new Part 2. Background section, replaced “system” with “Minnesota State”, deleted Part 5 because this language is redundant with Board Policy 1A.1, Part 6, Subpart E, and made technical edits throughout the policy.

Additional HISTORY

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