| (a) The Commissioner shall establish and periodically
update a common calendar for Texas public universities and community,
technical and state colleges.
(b) The Commissioner may grant waivers to the common
calendar to benefit students and/or to improve the efficient operations
of the institutions. A public university or community, technical,
or state college that begins its fall and spring semesters and its
first summer term within 7 days of the date set by the common calendar
is in compliance with the common calendar and does not require a waiver.
(c) A semester normally shall include 15 weeks for
instruction and one week for final examinations or a total of 16 weeks
instruction and examinations combined. Every fall semester will end
before Christmas, but not later than December 23.
(d) The summer session shall be considered an integral
part of the college year and maximum use should be made of the summer
session. Each of the two summer terms shall include no less than 5
1/2 calendar weeks, including registration, instructions, and final
examinations. Colleges may register students for a six semester credit
hour load for each 5 1/2-week summer term. Colleges and universities
may schedule summer terms longer or shorter than 5 1/2 weeks, but
the amount of credit students are allowed to enroll for must be proportional.
(e) Each college and university shall establish its
own dates for orientation, registration, holidays, final examinations,
and the end of each semester and summer term consistent with subsections
(c) and (d) of this section.
(f) The Texas Education Agency shall be notified of
the calendar adopted and be encouraged to communicate with the Board
about possible further coordination of school and college calendar.
(g) Nothing in this section shall be interpreted to
preclude experimentation and innovation by any institution looking
toward full utilization of facilities on a year-round basis.
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