[Email to U-M Students, Faculty, Staff]
February 17, 2023

Dear Students, Faculty, and Staff,

I am writing to you regarding a welcome change to the 2023-2024 academic calendar. The 2024 winter term will begin on January 10, 2024, one week later than was previously scheduled.

Final examinations next year will end May 2, 2024, and commencement activities will move from the last weekend in April to May 3-5, 2024. The fall 2023 term will not be affected.

These changes are the result of input from students, faculty, and staff about the beneficial impact of more time between terms. I am impressed and inspired by efforts across campus to put well-being at the forefront of our values, alongside excellence, integrity, and inclusion, and this change reflects that work. I recognize that this change may cause inconvenience for some. University leadership took that into account as we talked with people across campus. Ultimately, the overwhelming support for the calendar revision resulted in this adjustment.

U-M’s adoption of the Okanagan Charter, a pledge to pursue a holistic approach to health promotion, reflects our commitment to well-being. Collaborative efforts like the Well-being Collective promise to instill our commitment to health-promoting behaviors into a wide array of daily activities. This adjustment to the calendar keeps our academic obligations intact while allowing us more time to rest, travel, and prepare for the following semester.

On behalf of university leadership, I am grateful to those in our community who continue to advocate for the primacy of health and well-being in our professional lives.

Sincerely,
Laurie K. McCauley, DDS, MS, PhD
Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs
William K. and Mary Anne Najjar Professor