Course Meeting Dates Exception (MDE) Request Procedure
All classes at Appalachian State University should have start and end dates that match the first day of classes and last day of exams for Fall and Spring semesters, and fall within one of the Parts of Term available in Summer semesters. Some courses may need to meet outside those defined dates for academic reasons, and these may be granted exceptions to the standard scheduling requirement.
Why is compliance with the official academic calendar, which outlines standard dates, important?
- Institutional and personal liability in the cases of accident or injury that might occur when a class meeting is not officially sanctioned by the calendar.
- Financial issues that may arise when course dates fall outside our standard calendar dates, effecting the ability of Financial Aid to award aid.
- Non standard course dates can interfere with graduation and grading.
What are the guidelines for the MDE form?
Classes that need to meet outside of standard terms or parts of term will need an approved exception for academic reasons. Exceptions need to be requested during each semester for a course that falls within these guidelines above.
What is considered an exception?
- Courses that begin prior to, or end after, the standard semester dates or parts of term in Summer terms
- Courses that meet on a weekend, holiday or winter and or spring breaks
What are other considerations for the MDE?
- All requests for an exception to the standard scheduling requirement must demonstrate the academic need for an exception.
- The request must be approved by the chair or program director prior to being forwarded to the relevant dean's office for approval.
- The faculty (and/or their Department Chair) may request exceptions for specific courses or instructional activities.
- Classes approved as exceptions will be built in the semester in which the majority of the classes' meeting days occur.
- Study Abroad courses are generally exempt from the MDE form while as a rule, Study Away courses require the MDE form.