The calendar year is divided into three academic terms:
The Board of Trustees (“Board”) shall determine the beginning and end date for each academic term within the timeframes set forth in Section I, unless an exception is granted by the NC Community College System President. The System President may grant an exception if it does not result in an overlap with another academic term, the ten percent (10%) point of all course sections falls within the corresponding academic term reporting period, and the exception does not negatively impact the College’s ability to meet data reporting requirements.
The academic semester for credit courses shall be designed so that classes may be scheduled to include the number of instructional hours shown in the College catalog and the approved curriculum program of study compliance document, and reported for FTE purposes. Instructional hours include scheduled class and laboratory sessions as well as examination sessions. Length of semesters or courses may vary as long as credit and membership hours are assigned consistent with requirements contained in the State Board Code. If necessary to meet the needs of particular constituents (e.g., courses provided at high schools, military bases, prisons, or at the specific request of business), without an exception by the System President, the College may schedule curriculum course sections that fall outside the academic term beginning and end dates, as defined by the Board. If such course sections cross academic term reporting periods, FTE enrollment shall be reported consistent with the provisions of the State Board Code.