2026-27 Academic Calendar Updates

Faculty and Student Information

Faculty FAQs

In September 2023, Provost Anand Marri invited a group of cross-campus stakeholders to carry out a comprehensive review and modernization of Ball State University’s academic calendar. The membership included representation from various campus units, including Academic Affairs, Student Affairs, Athletics, Business Affairs, and Enrollment and Planning Management. The committee met throughout the academic year and received information from key campus stakeholders, including Human Resources, Business and Auxiliary Services, Housing and Residence Life, Office of the Registrar, Academic Affairs, and Financial Aid. The group also broke into subcommittees, including policy and practice review, best practices for calendar revisions, best pedagogical practices, and institutional data. Finally, the committee gathered information on more than 20 peer institutions. Overall, the consensus was that a shorter calendar would benefit student success, as students, faculty, and support units would have more time between semesters. As a result of that work, an implementation committee was formed to prepare an implementation plan to transition to a 15-week (plus one finals week) semester calendar, which will begin in the Fall of 2026. 

Key Changes, effective Fall 2026 

Key Changes Include: 

-Fall and Spring Semesters move to 15 weeks of instruction.  

-8-week courses move to 7-week  

-5-week courses are still available 

-10-week courses have been eliminated 

-Summer Term will move to 10 weeks of instruction. 

-8-week courses move to 7-week 

-5-week courses are still available 

-Pre-Term and Extended Term courses have been eliminated


Faculty will have more time between semesters/term to prepare their courses.  

Meeting patterns will not change, so if an individual faculty member chooses to revise their course content, they are encouraged to review the primary course syllabus to ensure they can execute the SLOs within their selected weeks of instruction. Faculty should also consult with their unit heads before implementing any changes. 

The additional time before the fall semester begins allows for professional development, departmental meetings, and individual work time. Faculty development sessions and department schedules will be announced closer to the start of the Fall 2026 semester. 

With the new calendar dates, various events, such as advising schedules, move-in dates, and registration dates, may be adjusted. We recommend that you check with your supervisor during the 2025 academic year to ensure compliance. The following university operational calendar lists key dates; please continue to monitor it, as changes will be added. 

Currently, final grades are due at the close of business on the designated dates. Final grade submission guidance is available in the Professional Personnel Handbook, Section 110.1.  

Starting in Fall 2026, final grades will be due at noon on the designated dates. The Office of the Registrar will continue to send out emails to faculty reminding them of final grading deadlines. 

Guidance is also available on the Registrar’s website.

Faculty should also be aware of the updated final examination policy that will be documented in the updated Professional Personnel Handbook section 110.6 (updated July 1, 2026): 

A final examination or alternative end-of-term assessment should be given in each course, regardless of modality. Full-semester courses must schedule their final during the published day and time during finals week; non-standard and summer courses should be administered on the last regularly scheduled class meeting day. The date(s), time(s), and location should be clearly stated in the course syllabus or schedule. Directed research, internships, independent study, thesis, and dissertation courses, as well as performance-related assessments, are exempt from this policy. The College Dean or designee should approve any other exemptions.  

Face-to-face or synchronous online exams held during the semester must take place during the scheduled class times, except for faculty members who wish to schedule multiple-section exams. Such exams must be approved and scheduled by the Office of the Registrar prior to the start of the semester. The date(s), time(s), and location should be clearly stated in the course syllabus or schedule.  

No student will be required to take more than two (2) final examinations in one day. In cases where a student has an examination conflict, the student is responsible for notifying their instructor(s) of the conflict. Once notified by the student, it is the faculty member’s responsibility to make special arrangements to ensure the student is not adversely affected. In cases where a student has difficulty solving this problem, the Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs, or their designee, shall make the necessary adjustment(s). 

In September 2023, Provost Anand Marri invited a group of cross-campus stakeholders to carry out a comprehensive review and modernization of Ball State University’s academic calendar. As a result of that work, we are moving to a 15-week (plus one finals week) semester calendar, which will begin in the Fall of 2026. The updated academic calendar allows students, faculty, and support units more time between semesters, enhancing the support structures to foster student success.  
Ball State University will operate under a 15-week instructional schedule plus 1 week for finals exams, beginning in Fall 2026. A full calendar for the 26/27 academic year can be found here.

Keep an eye on your advising and registration schedule, as registration for the Fall 2026 schedule may be slightly different. During your advising appointment, ensure you know whether your classes are 15, 7, or 5 weeks long. If you have a varied start date for a course, be aware of when your classes begin and end, as well as the associated deadlines and final exam schedule.

 

 More detailed information about Fall 2026 move-in and Weeks of Welcome activities will be forthcoming. First-year students should plan to move-in to the halls on August 16th or August 17th, 2026 and attend the mandatory Freshman Convocation on August 18th at 9:30 a.m.