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1-26-18 Message to Community

January 26, 2018

Colleagues,

As we complete another productive winter term and prepare for the start of the spring semester, I have a few updates and reminders.

I want to acknowledge and thank faculty and staff across all divisions. During a time of increasing accountability and regulation (both internal and external), you have done an outstanding job of meeting new mandates:

  • 100% of academic units completed their unclassified job descriptions on time.
  • More than 80% of academic staff and faculty have completed the online accessibility training.
  • The majority of departments have submitted their annual assessment reports for the 2017 calendar year.
  • Miami has completed over 90% of the course matches for Career Technical and Transfer Assurance Guides.

These requirements are important, and I know they take the efforts and time of many to accomplish. Thank you for your contributions and hard work.

Here are a few reminders for the coming semester:

  • Spring semester classes begin on Monday, January 29 and end on Saturday, May 12. Classes are to be held on all regularly scheduled dates. In particular, Miami’s Spring Break starts on Monday, March 19 and concludes on Sunday, March 25. All classes should meet at the scheduled times the week prior and following Spring Break. The full academic calendar is available at https://miamioh.edu/_files/documents/events/2017-2018_Academic_Calendar_508.pdf.
  • Final exams are scheduled for the week of May 14-19. Please remember to include information about final exams in course syllabi. The full schedule for final exams is available at https://miamioh.edu/onestop/your-records/academic-records/final-exams/final-exam-schedule/index.html#/.
  • University Commencement is 1:30 p.m. on Saturday, May 19. Divisional Recognition Ceremonies are scheduled on May 19 and 20. Faculty are encouraged to participate in these events. The full Commencement Weekend schedule is available at http://miamioh.edu/commencement/.
  • When assigning textbooks for courses, please confirm the correct textbooks are listed for your courses via the Bookstore’s ecampus site  and/or provide information about textbooks to students prior to the start of the semester via Canvas or email. If they are unable to pre-order textbooks, students may not have them in time for the first week of classes.
  • Finally, as you plan speakers, events and activities for the spring semester or the 2018-19 academic year, please remember to check the Miami University Events Calendar and list of religious holidays before finalizing dates. Doing so may identify a conflicting event and will assist in attracting a larger, more inclusive audience.

Thank you,

Phyllis​