Academic Standards Committee Policy Subcommittee
March 2, 2015, at 1 pm
Minutes
Present: Kristin Johnson, Jo Crane, Brad Tomhave, Sarah Shives, Lori Ricigliano, Ken Clark, Kelli
Delaney, Gary McCall, Sunil Kukreja, Jan Leuchtenberger, Landon Wade
I.
II.
III.
MSP to approve minutes of the 2/16/15 meeting (with addition of suggested appendix)
Petitions sub-committee report was given (see appendix)
Discussion of Curriculum Committee working group report on and recommendation for
solutions to concerns over foreign language transfer credit
a. Leuchtenberger explained the back story of this issue: The problem is that in the past
students who took Language 101 in a quarter system and then came here to take 102
with a semester system ended the year with less than 2 full units, thus not satisfying
the language requirement; would have to take 201 as well to make that up or petition.
Most language professors feel that finishing 101 (Q) and 101 (S) satisfies the spirit of
the language requirement. Came up in CC last year and language profs in room asked
for something to be done. CC has a working group looking into the issue, but is
concern that it is also an ASC policy issue.
b. McCall asked whether petitions have been granted; Tomhave replied no on the
grounds it is not a reasonable substitution. Could just take proficiency exam to fulfill
the requirement. Leuchtenberger pointed out the students end in the same place,
since they use the same textbooks. Usually those who petition are those who barely
made it though and thus can’t pass the proficiency exam (it was pointed out that
students who fulfilled the requirement often can’t pass the test).
c. Crane asked the results of the CC’s work so far. Leuchtenberger: having met with as
many language professors as possible for comments, they have proposed a
recommendation regarding new language:
DRAFT: To implement the option of fulfilling the Foreign Language Graduation Requirement by the
successful completion of two semesters of a foreign language at the 101-102 college level, the
Registrar’s Office may substitute a single transferred first or second quarter of a 100 college level
foreign language course for the 101 level semester provided the student successfully completes a
semester of that foreign language at the 102 college level.
IV.
Leuchtenberger asked if there were any concerns regarding the change. It was pointed
out that the gap between 101 (Q) and 102 (S) is made to catch up and succeed in 102.
d. MSP to endorse the language proposed by the CC Working Group. Leuchtenberger
will communicate this with the CC, who will let us know if there are any changes.
Continued discussion of policies for incomplete grades
a. Leuchtenberger reminded the ASC that the next step, having decided to move the date
earlier, is to decide how much earlier. We were debating as to whether to move it
before the Add date or the Drop date. The issue of when instructors must submit the
grade arose. Currently, Incomplete grades are due from the instructor the same day
midterm grades are due. Wade suggested the end of the second week or end of fourth
week, on the grounds it would be unrealistic to complete all this by the Add date.
Kukreja reminded us of (the student representative) Anderson’s perspective (from the
last meeting) that the first weeks of the term are less busy. On these grounds
Leuchtenberger suggested we consider the end of the second week. Discussion ensued
regarding when the instructor’s grade is due.
b. Consensus was reached that a due date at the end of the second week, with grades due
from the instructor within three working days of that day, would address the various
issues that inspired review of the policy. In response to the question ‘what happens if
a professor misses the due date’ Tomhave pointed out that the Registrar contacts
instructors prior to replacing an Incomplete with an F grade. Clark pointed out that
faculty will want to hear the rationale for the change, and the minutes from the last
meeting can be used for this. Committee members emphasized the fact that this
revised due date reinforces the existing criteria for awarding an incomplete, namely
that it should be done for a limited amount of uncompleted work. Leuchtenberger
suggested we develop and review specific language at the next meeting.
V.
MSP to adjourn
Respectfully submitted, Kristin Johnson
Petitions Report for the Period 2/13/2015 – 2/26/2015
During the dates covered by this report, the following actions were taken on petitions submitted
to the Academic Standards Committee:
3
2
1
1
1
1
9
Approved Late Registrations
Approved Registration Change from Graded to Pass/Fail
Approved Registration Change from Credit to Audit
Approved Waiver of the “Last 8 Units Rule”
Approved Offering of a Regular Course through Independent Study
Approved Withdrawal without Record
Total Petitions
Registrar Approved:
Preview Team Approved:
Sub-Committee Approved:
Total Approved:
0
0
9
9
Sub-Committee Denied:
Total Petitions:
0
9
The first late registration was for a student joining THTR 291 Theatre Production, the second for a
staff member to audit a course on the Pacific-Rim Program, and the third for late registration for
the Senior Thesis in Asian Studies to replace an Independent Study.
The petition involving a regular course through Independent Study allows a student to complete a
portion of FREN 480 in order to earn the quarter of a unit remaining to complete the French
minor.
The withdrawal without record petition involved dropping the fall registration of a student in an
applied music course that the student never attended. Although the student informed the
instructor of plans not to participate during the fall, the student neglected to respond to email
from the School of Music, so was not dropped at the beginning of last semester.
For the year to date, 173 petitions have been approved and 19 have been denied. Among the
192 petitions considered, there are 28 late registrations, 50 schedule conflict registrations, and 28
medical withdrawals. For comparison, by February 26, 2014, 166 petitions were approved and 17
denied. Among the 183 petitions considered by this time last year, there were 63 late
registrations, 20 schedule conflict registrations, and 22 medical withdrawals.