The Faculty Handbook was revised in September of 2012 to reduce the minimum days of instruction in the fall and spring semesters from 68 to 65 because 68 days of instruction could not always be scheduled. (Sixty-seven or sixty-eight days are normally scheduled.) However, the section of the Faculty Handbook that speaks to specific class meetings was not updated at the same time to accurately reflect practice. The way the calendar falls in any specific year and the requirements that need to be built into the academic calendar may necessitate fewer class meetings that the Faculty Handbook currently lists. Eleven of the past 20 semesters have had 40 rather than 41 days of MWF classes scheduled; one semester has had 26 rather than 27 TR days of instruction.

Therefore, it is recommended that the Faculty Handbook Class Meetings wording be changed as follows:

Class meeting hours at the University of Delaware follow the normal standards adopted by most colleges and universities. For a three credit class, this is typically three, 50 minute weekly meetings on a Monday-Wednesday-Friday sequence for a minimum of 40 scheduled 41 class meetings during the fall and spring terms. Three credit classes meeting on the Tuesday-Thursday sequence will meet for 75 minutes for a minimum of 26 scheduled 27 class meetings. Courses for other than 3 credit hours should likewise meet for the equivalent of 50 minutes per credit hour per semester week. Classes with laboratory components grant one credit for every two hours of laboratory work per week. Class meeting time during the winter and summer sessions should be equivalent to that scheduled in other academic terms.