Faculty Senate

Academic Standards and Calendar Committee

Report#2001-02-1

March 2002

The Academic Standards and Calendar Committee has considered two issues brought forward at the request of the Faculty Senate Executive Committee. The first was with regard to plagiarism, specifically, a policy with regard to plagiarism software. The second concerned the calendar for the spring 2003 semester and whether it might be modified to permit a hiatus between final exams and Commencement and the start of the first summer session without losing a week of classes.

I. Plagiarism

Regarding the use of plagiarism software at URI, the committee agrees that existing language in the University Manual is sufficient. See sections 8.27.10-19

The Academic Standards and Calendar Committee recommends the following:

o That all faculty increase efforts to raise awareness levels among students about what constitutes plagiarism -- including plagiarism in oral communication -- and how it can be avoided. And they should do so in a variety of ways, e.g. statements on syllabi, class discussions, assignments.

o That the topic of plagiarism should be, if it is not already, included in all writing-intensive courses.

o That faculty assigning group work need to be clear to students about what will constitute plagiarism in that setting.

o That faculty should be encouraged to create assignments that make plagiarism more difficult.

Because there are many plagiarism-detection software packages available, it is difficult to make specific recommendations about potential purchases. The Academic Standards and Calendar Committee does share concerns about the use of such software potentially interfering with the intellectual property rights of students.

It also should be noted that there is some support on the committee for the university purchasing plagiarism-detection software, providing legal counsel advises that student rights are protected.

II. Spring 2003 Academic Calendar

Regarding the Spring 2003 calendar, and concerns about insufficient time between the end of the semester, commencement and the start of summer school, the committee proposes the following:

o Tuesday 14 January -- First day of classes

o Monday 20 January -- No classes; MLK Day

o Tuesday 21 January -- Monday classes meet

o Monday 13 February -- Classes meet; Presidents' Day

o March 10-16 -- Spring Break

o Tuesday 29 April -- Classes end

o Wednesday 30 April and Thursday 1 May -- Reading Days

o Friday 2 May and Saturday 3 May -- Exams

o Monday 5 May - Friday 9 May -- Exams

On the following page is a copy of the proposed Spring 2003 as it compares to the approved Spring 2003 calendar. Recommended changes from the approved calendar for Spring 2003 are in red.

SPRING Semester		approved 2003	proposed 2003
	Classes begin	Jan. 21	Jan 14
	Martin Luther King Jr. Day Classes Do Not Meet	Jan. 20	Jan. 20
	Last day to DROP "Early Drop" courses	Jan. 30	Jan. 23
	Last day to ADD and to ADD Pass/Fail Option	Feb. 3	Jan. 27
	Washington's Birthday (Not a RI holiday-offices are open)	no classes Feb. 16	classes meet
	Monday classes meet	Tues., Feb. 17	Tues. Jan 21
	Mid-semester	March 18	March 5
	Last day for students to DROP courses	March 18	March 18
	Last day to CHANGE from Pass/Fail Option	March 18	March 5
	Midterm grades for freshmen due in Enrollment Services	March 19	March 6
	Spring Break, classes do not meet, offices are open	March 10-16	March 10-16
	Classes end	May 6	April 29
	Reading days	May 7 & 8	April 30 & May 1
	Final examinations	May 9, 10, 12-16	May 2, 3, 5-9
	Final grades due in Enrollment Services by 4:00 PM	May 20	May 12
	Commencement	May 18	May 18