BLOOMINGTON -
Changes are coming to Indiana University Bloomington this fall.
Classes will begin a week earlier than in previous years. That means the first day of classes will be Monday, Aug. 20, 2012.
The campus's academic calendar also includes a new fall break Oct. 12 to 14 and an expanded weeklong Thanksgiving recess Nov. 18 to 25. No classes will be offered on Labor Day.
The changes were approved by the Bloomington Faculty Council in 2010 with the goal of year-round study for those students who wish to pursue their degree in less time.
Students and parents will find the academic calendars at the website for the Office of the Registrar, where they also will find a detailed calendar for this fall.
The idea is to provide a longer vacation at Thanksgiving to make it easier for students to get home for the holiday weekend. The new fall break is designed to give students and faculty a "breather" during the long stretch between August and November.
IU also notes that contact time actually increases a little under the new calendar.
Changes also were made to the class schedule for this summer's courses. Among the options for student are classes offered over three consecutive four-week sessions, two six-week sessions, two overlapping eight-week sessions and one 12-week session.
This summer, Indiana resident undergraduates enrolled at seven of IU's campuses statewide will receive a 25 percent discount in tuition for courses taken in the summer. Nonresident undergraduate students will receive an equivalent dollar reduction in their tuition.
