Summary: ANNOUNCEMENT #6 - Length of Academic Year

HURRICANE KATRINA INFORMATION - ELECTRONIC ANNOUNCEMENT #6

(09-30-05)

From: Sally L. Stroup, Assistant Secretary for Postsecondary Education

Subject: Length of Academic Year for Institutions Affected by Hurricane Katrina

Higher education officials in States affected by Hurricane Katrina have asked the Secretary to allow institutions to reduce the minimum academic year for 2005-2006 from 30 weeks of instructional time to 26 weeks of instructional time. The Secretary considers these requests to have been made on behalf of all affected institutions in these States.

The Secretary will allow affected institutions in the Hurricane Katrina federally declared disaster areas of Alabama, Louisiana, and Mississippi, that offer a two-year program leading to an associate degree or a four-year program leading to a baccalaureate degree, to reduce their 2005-2006 academic year from 30 weeks of instructional time to a minimum of 26 weeks of instructional time.

Affected institutions must still obtain approval from the appropriate state licensing and accrediting agency before implementing the reduced academic year.

An affected institution that reduces its 2005-2006 academic year must use the reduced timeframe to determine the minimum length of eligible programs it offers. In addition, an affected institution should document the reduced academic year definition in its written policies and procedures.

Determining disbursement amounts and annual loan limits will not change as a result of these reduced academic year or term lengths. Institutions that are approved to use a reduced timeframe should use that timeframe as the definition of its academic year in these determinations.

The statute currently does not permit the Secretary to approve a reduction in an academic year to fewer than 26 weeks of instructional time, or any reduction of academic year for institutions that do not offer a two-year program leading to an associate degree or a four-year program leading to a baccalaureate degree.

Institutions may contact the following individuals for additional information:

• Alabama and Mississippi institutions should contact Charles Engstrom in the U.S. Department of Education's Atlanta Regional Office at (404) 562-6309 or by e-mail at charles.engstrom@ed.gov; and
• Louisiana institutions should contact Jackie Shipman in the US Department of Education's Dallas Regional Office at (214) 661-9490, or by e-mail at jackie.shipman@ed.gov.