If you?re wondering why the first day of class at UW-Madison is the Friday before a holiday weekend — and the day after the Badgers season opener — UW-Madison has an explanation. It?s because state statute dictates that the semester must start after Sept. 1. But faculty need to fit in a certain amount of instructional days before Christmas Eve. Instructors would not be able to fit in the full course content if class started on, say, Tuesday, Sept. 6, according to UW-Madison.
Office of Strategic Communication