Fall Reading Week Compilation

TABLE OF CONTENTS
1. University Policy on Remembrance Day and Fall Term Day…………………………….. p. 2

2. Important University Policies: Continued……………………………………………………. p. 3

3. Key Fall Reading Week Dates and Statistics for Canadian Universities (2010-2011)…. p. 5

4. University of Alberta Past and Future Start Dates………………………………………….. p. 7

5. Future Start Dates at G13 and Comparator Schools……………………………………… p. 8

6. G13 Winter Reading Week Dates and Lengths……………………………………………. p. 11

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University Policy on Remembrance Day and Fall Term Day
The Academic Schedule for Fall/Winter at the University of Alberta will provide for two equal
terms as described below:

a. Fall Term will commence on the Wednesday following Labour Day and will end
on/before December 22, excepting for those Faculties that have had alternate commencement
and finishing dates approved by GFC.

b. Fall Term will consist of fifteen full weeks including instruction, examinations, statutory
holidays and one day with no classes scheduled (except for Augustana Faculty, which
schedules a Fall Term break to be held in October), to be positioned adjacent to Remembrance
Day as follows:

i. when Remembrance Day falls on a Saturday, Sunday, or Monday the day with no classes will
be the Tuesday following Remembrance Day;
ii. when Remembrance Day falls on a Tuesday the day with no classes will be the Monday
preceding Remembrance Day;
iii. when Remembrance Day falls on a Wednesday the day with no classes will be the Tuesday
preceding Remembrance Day;
iv. when Remembrance Day falls on a Thursday the day with no classes will be the Friday
following Remembrance Day;
v. when Remembrance Day falls on a Friday the day with no classes will be the Thursday
preceding Remembrance Day.
c. Winter Term will commence on the first Monday following New Year’s Day, excepting for
those Faculties that have had alternate commencement dates approved by GFC.
d. Winter Term will consist of fifteen full weeks including instruction, examinations, statutory
holidays and a 5-day mid-term break (Reading Week). Reading Week will be scheduled during
the week of the Family Day holiday. There will be a minimum of 23 working days between the
last day of Winter Term examinations and spring convocation.

Additionally, sixty-three (63) instructional days will be retained in each term.

Procedure for altering academic calendar

1. ACADEMIC SCHEDULE DRAFTING AND APPROVAL PROCEDURE

“Each spring, the Exams and Timetabling Division in the Office of the Registrar will begin
drafting the Academic Schedule for the following year. For example, the Academic Schedule for
July 1, 2007 – June 30, 2008 would be initially drafted in the spring of 2006.
Two drafts will be sent out to a distribution list that includes the President, Vice-Presidents and
senior administrators, Deans, Assistant and Associate Deans, Directors and other stakeholders
for feedback and suggested changes.
The final draft of the Academic Schedule will be sent to the GFC Executive Committee no later
than mid-October for approval.”

Reading week definition in academic calendar

A recess near the middle of the second term designed to allow students to catch up on
outstanding reading and to prepare for the oncoming final examinations.

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Important University Policies: Continued
The chart below looks at important policies that may come into play while advocating for a fall
reading week.
Fall Reading Week: Important Policies

Policy Description Location

Each spring, the Academic Schedule
Exams and Timetabling Procedure (parent
Division in the Office of document is
the Registrar will begin Academic Schedule
drafting the Academic Policy), part of
Schedule for the UAPPOL under
following year. For Procedure 1 section
example, the Academic
Schedule for July 1,
2007 – June 30, 2008
would be initially
drafted in the spring of
2006.
Fall Term will Academic Schedule
commence on the Procedure (parent
Wednesday following document is
Labour Day and will Academic Schedule
end on/before Policy), part of
December 22, UAPPOL under
excepting for those Procedure 2. a.
Faculties that have had section.
alternate
commencement and
finishing dates
approved by GFC.
Fall Term will consist of Academic Schedule
fifteen full weeks Procedure (parent
including instruction, document is
examinations, statutory Academic Schedule
holidays and one day Policy), part of
with no classes UAPPOL under
scheduled (except for Procedure 2. b.
Augustana Faculty, section.
which schedules a Fall
Term break to be held
in October), to be
positioned adjacent to
Remembrance Day as
follows:

i. when Remembrance
Day falls on a

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Saturday, Sunday, or
Monday the day with
no classes will be the
Tuesday following
Remembrance Day;

Sixty-three (63) Academic Schedule

instructional days will Procedure (parent
be retained in each document is
term. Academic Schedule
Policy), part of
UAPPOL under
Procedure 2. e.
section.

There will be a study Academic Schedule

break at the end of Procedure (parent
each of Fall Term and document is
Winter Term of at least Academic Schedule
four calendar days Policy), part of
UAPPOL under
Procedure 2. e.
section.

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Key Fall Reading Week Dates and Statistics for Canadian Universities
(2010-2011)
The information in the table below is based completely on the 2010-2011 academic year. The
reading week dates include weekends. The number instructional days does not include days
during a university’s exam period.
Key Fall Reading Week Dates
University Fall Break First Day of Final Day First Day Final Day Number of
or Reading Fall Class of Fall of Exams of Exams Fall
Week Class Semester
Instructional
Days
Alberta November September December December December 63
11-14 8 8 10 22
Queen’s N/A September December December December 59
13 3 8 22
McGill N/A September December December December 66
1 3 6 21
McMaster N/A September December December December 62
9 6 8 22
Dalhousie November September December December December 59
11-14 9 7 9 20
Toronto November September December December December 59
6-9 13 7 10 21
Ottawa October September December December December 61
23-31 7 8 9 22
Western N/A September December December December 62
13 8 10 21
UBC N/A September December December December 62
7 3 7 21
Montreal October September December December December 63
23-31 1 7 9 22

Calgary November September December December December 62

11-14 13 10 13 22
Waterloo N/A September December December December 60
13 6 9 22
Laval October August 30 December December December 68
23-31 10 13 17
Victoria November September December December December 59

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 10-14 8 3 6 20
Lethbridge N/A September December December December 65
8 9 13 21
Saskatchewan N/A September December December December 63
7 3 6 22
Regina N/A September December December December 63
8 6 9 22
Manitoba N/A September December December December 64
9 8 10 22
Sherbrooke October August 30 December December December 68
16-24 10 11 23
York October 9- September December December December 60
17 13 10 12 23
Windsor N/A September December December December 62
9 6 9 20
Carleton October 8- September December December December 61
11 9 6 9 22
Trent October September December December December 59
23-31 13 10 11 22
Sheridan October September December N/A N/A 67
College 23-31 7 17
Moncton October September December December December 58
23-31 7 6 10 21
Laurentian October September December December December 61
23-31 8 8 9 22

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University of Alberta Past and Future Start Dates
Future

Academic Year Date

2019-2020 4 September
2018-2019 5 September
2017-2018 6 September
2016-2017 7 September
2015-2016 9 September
2014-2015 3 September
2013-2014 4 September
2012-2013 5 September
2011-2012 7 September

Past

Academic Year Date

2010-2011 8 September
2009-2010 2 September
2008-2009 3 September
2007-2008 5 September
2006-2007 6 September
2005-2006 7 September
2004-2005 8 September
2003-2004 3 September
2002-2003 4 September
2001-2002 5 September
2000-2001 6 September
1999-2000 9 September
1998-1999 3 September
1997-1998 4 September

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Future Start Dates at G13 and Comparator Schools
This brief outlines the start dates for instruction in the fall semester, at both G13 and U of A
comparator universities (Texas-Austin, Illinois, etc.).

G13 Universities’ Class Start Dates

University of Calgary:
2010-2011: September 7
University of British Columbia:
2010-2011: September 7
University of Montreal:
2010-2011: September 1
2011-2012: September 1
2012-2013: September 4
2013-2014: September 4
2014-2015: September 2
Laval:
2009-2010: August 31
2010-2011: August 30
2011-2012: September 6 (Laval still has a fall reading week this semester, from 31 October to 5
November).
McGill:
2009-2010: September 1
2010-2011: September 1
Note: The Senate Committee on Student Affairs (CSA) recommends that classes begin on 1
September. (Link: http://www.mcgill.ca/importantdates/csaguidelines/.)
University of Toronto:
2009-2010: September 9
2010-2011: September 13
McMaster:
2010-2011: September 9
Queen’s:
2010-2011: September 13 (for Faculty of Arts and Science students)

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Western:
2010-2011: September 13
2011-2012: September 8
Ottawa:
2009-2010: September 9
2010-2011: September 7
Waterloo:
2009-2010: September 14
Dalhousie:
2010-2011: September 9

Comparator University Start Dates

Texas-Austin:
2010-2011: August 25
2011-2012: August 24
Illinois-Champagne:
2009-2010: August 24
2010-2011: August 23
2011-2012: August 22
2012-2013: August 27
2013-2014: August 26
Every year, Illinois has a “Thanksgiving Vacation.” In 2013-2014, it lasts from 23 November until
2 December (the day that classes resume).
California-Berkeley:
2010-2011: 26 August
2011-2012: 25 August
2012-2013: 23 August
Note: A five day “Reading/Review/Recitation Week” exists, taking place from 6 December until
10 December.
Link: http://opa.berkeley.edu/AcademicCalendar/calendardisp.aspx?terms=2012C
Wisconsin-Madison:
2010-2011: September 2
2011-2012: September 2

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2012-2013: September 4
Note: A Thanksgiving recess exists between 25 and 28 November in 2010-2011.
UCLA:
2010-2011: September 23
2011-2012: September 22
Washington:
2010-2011: September 29
2011-2012: September 28
Link: http://www.washington.edu/students/reg/1112cal.html#Q2
Michigan-Ann Arbor:
2010-2011: September 7
2011-2012: September 6
Note: A Thanksgiving recess takes place from 24 November to 29 November (with classes
resuming on the 29th) in 2010-2011.

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G13 Winter Reading Week Dates and Lengths
Although many Canadian universities do not have a fall reading week, the large majority of
schools have a winter reading week. This brief looks at which G13 schools have a winter
reading week, and how many days these weeks span.
University Length of Reading Week in 2010-2011 Year
University of Alberta February 19-27 (9 days)
Calgary February 19-27 (9 days)
UBC February 12-20 (9 days)
McGill February 19-27 (9 days)
Laval March 5-13 (9 days)
Montreal February 26-March 6 (9 days)
Dalhousie February 19-27 (9 days)
Western February 19-27 (9 days)
McMaster February 19-27 (9 days)
Queen’s February 19-27 (9 days)
Toronto February 19-27 (9 days)
Ottawa February 19-27 (9 days)
Waterloo February 19-27 (9 days)

Analysis:
- The winter reading weeks are very consistent across the nation.
- Only Quebec really deviates from the February 19-27 norm.
- Every winter reading week break in Canada takes place over a nine-day period.

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