Academic Calendar Update

Kent State’s academic calendar will be changing starting fall semester 2023.

What is changing with the calendar

Fall Semester

  • Classes start on the second-to-last Monday, instead of last Thursday, in August
  • Class days* increase by three, from 70 to 73 M-F days

Spring Semester

  • Class days end on Sunday, instead of Tuesday, in late April/early May
  • Reading Day (Wednesday) is eliminated after classes end
  • Final exam week is Monday to Sunday, instead of Thursday to Wednesday, in May
  • Class days* increase by three, from 71 to 74 M-F days
  • Spring break moves from the 11th week to the 9th week starting spring 2025

Summer Term

* Number of class days do not include holidays and breaks (e.g., spring break).

Why the calendar is changing

Every five years, the Kent State University academic calendar is reviewed and approved by the university president for the next five years. During the most recent review, feedback was gathered on issues with the current calendar, primarily around the fall semester starting so late in the week and spring final exams starting in the same week as classes were finishing.

The Academic Calendar Advisory Committee, a subcommittee of the Educational Policies Council, was convened in fall 2021 to review class data, consult with the university community and present recommendations to the president for future academic calendars. Read the background below on the committee and its efforts.

Transition from the current calendar to the new calendar

For the transition, there will be four calendar days between end of summer 2023 and start of fall 2023.

  • Summer 2023 classes (Summer III) end on Wednesday, August 16
  • Fall 2023 classes start on Monday, August 21

In the future, there will be a minimum of seven calendar days between end of summer term and start of fall semester.

 

Background information

In fall 2021, members of the Academic Calendar Advisory Committee convened to review and provide recommendations to the president for the calendar for academic year 2023-2024.

Based on feedback from the university community on the academic calendar that has been in place since fall 2018, the committee’s charge was to determine the feasibility of the following:

  • Start fall semester earlier than a Thursday
  • Schedule final exam weeks to be continuous Monday to Sunday
  • Move Spring Break earlier in the semester
  • Bring Kent State into compliance with the state’s requirement for class time for the semester credit hour

The goals of the committee were the following:

  • Maintain or increase instructional days in the fall and spring semesters
  • Ensure that the faculty contract remains nine months
  • Retain, at minimum, five business days between each term for critical student and campus services

Timeline of Actions

September 2021The Academic Calendar Advisory Committee convenes.
March 2022Committee submits initial recommendations to the provost for feedback.
April to May 2022

Committee holds presentations with the following university-wide advisory bodies for feedback on the recommendations:

  • Academic Leadership Group
  • Advising Deans Committee
  • Chairs and Directors Council
  • Educational Policies Council
  • Faculty Senate
  • Graduate Dean’s Advisory Council
  • Graduate Student Senate
  • Regional Campuses Administration
  • Student and University Service Areas *
  • Undergraduate Deans Council
  • Undergraduate Student Government

More than 200 faculty, staff and students attend the presentations.

* Service areas included, but were not limited to, Advisors; Bursar; Communications and Marketing; Continuing and Distance Education; the former Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, now People, Culture and Belonging; Events and Protocol; Facilities Planning and Operations; Finance and Administration; Health Services; Human Resources; Information Technology; Institutional Research; Intercollegiate Athletics; Parking Services; Recreation Services; Residence and Dining Services; Student Affairs; and Student Financial Aid.

May 2022Committee sends a survey to university-wide advisory bodies with two calendar options. More than 440 people respond, of which 77% are faculty, 21% staff and 3% students. (Link to survey responses)

Faculty Senate vote on the options (Faculty Senate request that no change occur with moving Spring Break until more research was completed)
June 2022Committee sends a second survey to university-wide advisory bodies with a third calendar option added. More than 650 people respond, of which 72% are faculty, 22% staff and 6% students. (Link to second survey responses)

Committee presents survey results to the provost and Faculty Senate.
July 2022Provost presents recommendations to the president for final approval.
March 2023Committee sends a survey on options to summer parts of term to full-time faculty, department chairs, school directors and college and campus leaders. More than 240 people respond, of which 85% are faculty and 15% administrators/staff. (Link to survey responses)
May 2023Educational Policies Council votes on the committee's recommendations to changes to Spring Break and summer parts of term.
July 2023Faculty Senate votes on the committee's recommendations to changes to Spring Break and summer parts of term.

Committee presents recommendations to the provost on changes to spring break and summer parts of term .
August 2023Kent State implements the new academic calendar for fall semester.
September 2023Provost presents recommendations to the president for final approval on changes to spring break and summer parts of term.
May 2024Kent State implements changes to summer parts of term (dates).
March 2025Kent State implements changes to spring break to move it to the 9th week of semester.