Decision to Move to a Unified Academic Calendar

Dear Members of the Seattle University Community:

Earlier today, the Seattle University Board of Trustees voted unanimously to endorse the decision to move the university towards a unified academic calendar on a semester model, and to do so as expeditiously as reasonably possible and no earlier than the fall term of 2027. We understand what a significant undertaking this is, and we understand the context of this decision, including previous considerations of the calendar question as recently as the 2020-2021 academic year. In reaching its decision, the Board carefully considered a great deal of feedback from faculty, students, and staff, including comments that were extremely critical of the proposed change. We are writing today to explain what this decision does and – just as importantly – what it does not do.

What this decision does is commit the university to transitioning towards a single academic calendar on the semester model. It enjoins the university administration to work collaboratively with the Academic Assembly and other stakeholder groups to ensure that this transition occurs in accordance with norms of shared governance and, particularly, with the principle of faculty responsibility for the curriculum. It further directs the administration to identify adequate resources to sufficiently support faculty in the substantial work involved in shifting the curriculum from quarters to semesters, such as course releases and staff support for project management and instructional design. Similarly, the Board expects the administration to develop plans to support student success through this transition, including sufficient academic advising to help students navigate the change. The Board expects the administration to report back to the Board in the fall with an estimate of resources that will be required and a plan for gathering those resources.

What this decision does not do is specify the precise timeline in which this transition will occur. The decision also does not specify the precise curricular and workload models the university will implement. The Board expects the administration to work in collaboration with the Academic Assembly and other stakeholders to answer these important questions.

The Board’s understanding of prior discussions of changing the academic calendar at Seattle University is that they occurred in the absence of concrete plans about these questions, as well as any firm commitment to providing the resources necessary to support the transition. Concerns about timeline and workload were among the most frequently cited by those who offered feedback on the proposed calendar change. By conditioning this change on the development of these plans and the provision of those resources, the Board is taking those concerns extremely seriously. The creation of the Cornish College of the Arts at Seattle University and the planned transition to Workday also constitute new factors that require a reconsideration of the calendar question at this time.

We want to emphasize the deep esteem in which the Board of Trustees holds the faculty and staff who will be undertaking this work, and who will be doing so in the midst of a great deal of tumult in higher education. But the challenging context in which Seattle University finds itself only increases the urgency to unify the calendar as quickly as reasonably possible and put the university in the best position for long-term success. We understand the strong feelings this decision will evoke, but we believe this transition is in the best long-term interests of Seattle University, especially our students. We encourage all members of the Seattle University community to become involved in this process in a constructive and solutions-oriented way, and we commit ourselves to ensuring that the university provides the resources necessary to make that possible.

Respectfully,

Patrick J. Callans 
Chair, Seattle University Board of Trustees

Eduardo M. Peñalver
President