To equalize the number of teaching hours and class days for Summer Term 1997 at BYU, Monday has been designated a 'Thursday' class instruction day.
'The Thursday, July 24 Pioneer Day holiday reduces the Tuesday-Thursday class periods to 13 as compared to 15 Monday-Wednesday days of instruction,' said Ron Bybee of Academic Scheduling. 'This adjustment equalizes the instruction hours.'
The last time a Summer Term holiday occurred on a Thursday was in summer 1991, Bybee said.
'At that time we designated a Saturday as a Thursday instruction day. The Saturday class attendance was not well received by students or faculty, so this approach was abandoned,' he said.
'We regret this oversight and late notice for the 1997 summer schedule, but anticipate that course outlines can be adjusted to reflect this equalization of teaching days,' Bybee said.
The next time the university will encounter this Summer Term scheduling scenario will be in 2002 and 2003, when during back-to-back summers, the calendar lists a July 4 and July 24 holiday on a Thursday.
'We will prepare calendar adjustments earlier and, after counseling with the deans, will announce and publish changes,' he said.
'We appreciate those faculty members who called this instruction day discrepancy to our attention,' Bybee said.