It  is a great honour and privilege for me to write a foreword for the Academic Planning Unit. There were two Directors of Academic Planning before I was appointed in 2000 to serve in that capacity. I must appreciate the fact that it has been most challenging and I consider this opportunity a rare one in my academic career bearing in mind that that Academic Planning Unit is the heart of the University. The Academic Planning Unit is under the direct supervision of the Vice-Chancellor to whom the director is responsible.

Under my stewardship, the Unit undertakes these functions:

1. The Unit keep custody of all academic policies as approved by NUC for Nigerian Universities
2. It advices Senate on all academic matters brought before it
3. It liaises with Departments to prepare academics Programme(s) for accreditation and re-accreditation.
4. The Unit furnishes senate from time to time on the minimum academic requirements for all academic Programmes of the University.
5. It provides vital statistical information to NUC on the University such as:
• Student headcount;
• Staff-student ratio/pyramidal structure;
• Gender distribution (staff and students);
• Full time equivalent;
• Carry capacity, etc
6. It prepares for Senate consideration Academic Calendar for each Semester/Session.
7. It prepares groundwork for Departments desiring to introduce new academics programmes or review existing ones.
8. It provides secretarial services to the Research Development and Training Committee and the Academic Planning Committee among others.

• FIRST SEMESTER




S/N	DATE	EVENT	DURATION / REMARK
1	Monday, January 5 – Friday January 16, 2009	Screening of Fresh Students	2 weeks
2	Monday, January 19 – Friday, January 23, 2009	Fresh Students Arrive for Orientation/Registration	1 weeks
3	Saturday, January 24, 2009	Returning Student Resume	Weekend
4	Monday, January 26 – Friday, January 30, 2009	Registration for returning Students	1 week
5	Monday, February 2 – Friday, February 6, 2009	Late Registration	1 week
6	Monday, February 9 – Thursday, April 9, 2009	LECTURES	9 weeks
7	Friday, February 13,2009	End of Add / Drop of Electives	Deadline for Registration
8	Thursday, February 19, 2009	Matriculation of Fresh Students	4 weeks after Resumption
9	Friday, April 10 – Monday, April 13, 2009	Mid-Semester/Easter Break	3 days (including Good Friday – 10/04/09, Easter Sunday – 12/04/09 & Easter Monday – 13/04/09)
10	Tuesday, April 14 – Thursday, May 21, 2009	LECTURES	6 weeks ( Excluding May Day – 01/05/09
11	Monday, May 25 – Saturday, June 6, 2009	Semester Examinations	2 weeks ( including democracy day – 29/05/09
12	TOTAL DURATION		19 weeks
13	Sunday, June 7 – Friday, June 19, 2009	Semester Break	2 weeks
14	Thursday, July 2, 2009	Departmental Boards meet on Results	4 weeks after end of Examinations
15	Thursday, July 9, 2009	Faculty Boards meet on Results	1 week after Departmental Board Meetings
16	Thursday, July 16, 2009	CCE Boards meet on Results	1 week after Faculty Board Meetings
17	Thursday, July 23, 2009	PGS Boards meet on Results	1 week after CCE Board Meetings
18	Thursday, July 30, 2009	Senate Boards meet on Results	1 week after PGS Board Meetings




Note:
Eid-el Maulud -  This is an Islamic holiday which is likely to fall within the month of March, the actual date of which is yet uncertain but can easily be accommodated in our present Calendar

• SECOND SEMESTER
  
  

  S/NO	DATE	EVENT	DURATION/REMARKS
  1	Saturday, June 20, 2009	All Students Return	Weekend
  2	Monday, June 22 – Friday, June 26, 2009	Registration (for courses only)	1 week
  3	Monday, June 29 – Friday, July 3, 2009	Late Registration	1 week
  4	Wednesday, July 8, 2009	End of Add/ Drop of electives	Deadline for Registration
  5	Monday, June 29 – Tuesday, August 18, 2009	LECTURES	8 week
  6	Wednesday, August 19 – Friday, August 21,2009	Mid-Semester Break	3 days
  7	Monday, August 24 – Thursday, October 8, 2009	LECTURES	7 weeks ( excluding Independence Day – 01/10/09
  8	Friday, October 9 – Saturday, October 24, 2009	Semester Examination	2 weeks
  9	TOTAL DURATION	-	19 weeks
  10	Sunday, October 25, 2009	Students proceed on Holidays	Holiday
  11	Thursday, November 3, 2009	Departmental Boards meet on Results	1 weeks after end of Examinations
  12	Thursday, November 26, 2009	Faculty Boards meet on Results	1 weeks after Departmental Board meetings
  13	Thursday, December 3, 2009	CCE Boards meet on Results	1 weeks after Faculty Board meetings
  14	Thursday, December 10, 2009	PGS Boards meet on Results	1 weeks after CCE Board meetings
  15	Thursday, December 31, 2009	Senate Boards meet on Results	1 weeks after Christmas Break

  Note:
  Eid-el Fitri & Eid-el Kabir – These are Islamic holidays which are likely to fall within the months of September and December respectively, the actual dates of which are yet uncertain but can easily be accommodated in our present calendar

  Signed:
  Prof. B Akpa
  Director, Academic Planning