Academic Standards Committee
2001-2002 Final Report
ASC members: Suzanne Barnett, Johanna Crane, Alyce DeMarais, Julian Edgoose, Ron Fields, Robin
Foster, Tom Goleeke, Douglas Goodman, Kristi Hendrickson, Kathie Hummel-Berry, David Lupher,
Karen Porter (on sabbatical Fall 2001); Ex-Officio: Houston Dougharty, Jack Roundy, John Finney, Brad
Tomhave; Students: Katie Danielson, Lisa Goodner.
This report summarizes the items on which the ASC deliberated during the 2001-2002 academic year. It
is divided into four topical sections: registration and advising; study abroad; academic honesty; and
annual routine functions. Listed within a topical section is a summary of each issue discussed and the
action taken by the ASC.
Registration and Advising
9/24/01 New Core Access Limitation for Continuing Students
Summary: The ASC considered a request by Bill Barry to act on a proposed amendment to Bulletin policy
(p. 12) regarding limitations on which students could elect to meet new core requirements when they are
introduced in Fall 2003. The amendment makes an exception to the current statement in that students
who matriculate as freshmen prior to summer 2003, or as sophomore transfers prior to summer 2004, or
as junior or senior transfers prior to summer 2005 may not select the new Core. (In the current Bulletin
statement, each student is subject to (a) degree requirements published in the Bulletin at the time of
graduation, or (b) to degree requirements applicable at the time of matriculation, or (c) to degree
requirements listed in any Bulletin published between the student's matriculation and graduation.)
Action taken: The ASC passed (unanimously) a motion to adopt the policy and language proposed by
Barry for the Bulletin, and to edit the Logger phrasing, as well.
9/24/01 Attendance Policy Revision
Summary: Roundy requested an added sentence to the attendance policy in the Logger that would
mention the Alert Program managed by the ACA. The adopted new language (underlined and in italics)
reads: "Regular class attendance is expected of all students. Absence from class for any reason does
not excuse the student from completing all course assignments. An instructor who notes a significant
pattern of absence on the part of a student may submit a Student Alert to the Office of Academic and
Career Advising, which will contact and inform the student of the instructor's concerns. When nonattendance is in the instructor's judgment excessive, then instructor may levy a grade penalty or may
direct the registrar to drop the student form the course."
Action taken: The ASC passed (unanimously) a motion to adopt the proposed language.
10/8/01 & 10/22/01 Review of the Online Advising and Registration Policy
Summary: The ASC considered how various registration policies would fit with the new online (web)
registration.
Action taken: The ASC approved (unanimously) the following changes registration policy:
1. that advisor consultation no longer be required for changes of registration after an advisee's initial
registration, and that advisors receive email notification of such changes when they occur.
2. to make the policy for registration clearance for graduate students the same as for
undergraduates.
3. that all students be required to have an academic advisor in their declared major(s). Details of
the implementation of this requirement would be worked out in due course.
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Members of the ASC discussed and retained without change the following registration policies:
1. mandatory advising prior to registering for classes;
2. instructor approval of drops and adds beginning on the first day of classes;
3. registration policies for study abroad students were not changed, however the sentiment of the
committee was that study abroad students ought to be given more autonomy in their registration
for classes.
11/5/01 & 12/3/01 Review of the Pass/Fail Policy
Summary: This review continued a discussion of Pass/Fail policy begun in the March 22, 2001 ASC
meeting. ASC members discussed the following proposed changes to the Pass/Fail policy: (a) reduction
of academic P/F courses from four to two; (b) a limit on the number of P/F courses a student may take per
term to one; (c) changing the requirement that a C- be earned to receive a P in a P/F course; (d)
permitting instructors to designate courses for A-F grading only; (e) allowing P/F registrations on a "space
available" basis only; (f) permitting no P/F in the major, even in "surplus" courses not counted among
requirements; and (g) making all non-academic classes P/F only.
Action taken: The ASC passed (10-1) only item (b) above, which limits the number of academic P/F
courses a student may take per term to one, in addition to mandatory P/F. The decision balanced a
desire by committee members to continue to allow students broaden themselves by exploring courses
outside their major, while preventing students from "loading up" on P/F courses, especially during their
senior year, a use that did not meet the intended spirit of the policy.
12/3/01 Audit Policy Revision
Summary: Tomhave requested that the audit policy include the proviso that "law school alumni who
graduated in August 1994 or earlier" be included among those who may audit without tuition charge. This
represents a group of students admitted to the UPS law school before its sale to Seattle University.
Action taken: The ASC passed (unanimously) a motion to modify language in both the Logger and
Bulletin, as appropriate, to include law school alumni who graded in 1994 or earlier among those who
may audit without tuition charge.
1/30/02 Tuition Refund Policy for Medical and Emergency Administrative Withdrawals
Summary: Finney requested removal of the passage in the Logger (p. 48-49) that promises "a pro rata
refund of tuition based on the official date of withdrawal." A pro rata refund is available to all withdrawing
students, however by explicitly making reference to a refund in the MW and EAW statements, the
passage prompts many students to seek a MW although their circumstances may not warrant it.
Action taken: The ASC passed (unanimously) a motion to strike the phrase "a pro rata refund of tuition
based on the official date of withdrawal" from the Logger.
2/11/02 Course Repeat Policy
Summary: Finney requested that the ASC consider three amendments to the course repeat policy: (1) to
deny the right to repeat a course in which a grade of a B- or better was earned; (2) to count the more
recent grade received rather than the higher grade toward the GPA; (3) to remove credit for a course a
student once passed but then failed when repeating it.
Action taken: None. Support for changing the course repeat policy was weak, so the ASC ended
deliberations without changing the course repeat policy.
2/25/02 Leave of Absence Extensions
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Summary: Roundy and Tomhave proposed that the Logger language ought to be amended to authorize
extensions for leaves of absence that would better fit the current ACA practice, which offers students an
option of extending their leave after the two-year limit. Current Logger language (p. 62-63) states, "The
leave of absence is intended to provide a short-term leave, not to exceed two calendar years, for students
who plan to return to Puget Sound.".
Action taken: The ASC passed (unanimously) a motion authorizing the director of Academic and Career
Advising to permit extensions of leaves of absence beyond the current two-year limit. This authorization
was made without changes in Logger language.
2/25/02 & 3/11/02 Late Add Petitions
Summary: An ASC subcommittee convened to analyze late add petition patterns and numbers from fall
2001. The committee reviewed 48 petitions and grouped them into categories: negligence; waitlist
confusion; change of section; drop back/move up; internship/coop; independent study; advisor/instructor
absent; graduation requirement; and financial implications. The only category in which denials of late add
petitions occurred was "negligence"; all other petitions were approved. The ad hoc subcommittee
motioned that the authority already delegated to the Registrar's Office to approve late add petitions be
extended throughout the semester to include the following conditions: the student is dropping back or
moving up in a sequenced course; the student needs to register for a course required for graduation in
the current or in a subsequent semester; the student needs to register for a particular course to fulfill
scholarship requirements; and the student needs to add a co-op/internship, provided the internship
coordinator verifies that because of the specifics of the placement earlier admission could not be
permitted.
Action taken: The ASC passed (unanimously) a motion that extends authority to the Registrar's Office to
approve late adds that meet the conditions underlined above. The Registrar's Office was asked to make
an annual report to the ASC on the late add petitions it handles, and the numbers and categories in which
these petitions fall.
Summary: In response to a related discussion in which concern was raised over the negative impact on
students to continue in a course after a late add petition had been denied, Hummel-Berry motioned that
the Petitions Subcommittee of the ASC amend their practice in the denial of late add petitions by (1)
sending an alert form to the instructor informing him or her that the student in question is not registered
and would not be registered for the course, and (2) to add the notation "no grounds for appeal" to the late
add petitions form for use by the Petitions Subcommittee.
Action taken: The ASC passed (unanimously) a motion to send an alert to instructors and add the
notation "no grounds for appeal" after a late add petition is denied by the Petitions Committee. The
committee agreed that the Registrar's Office would work out the details for implementing the new policy.
4/22/02 Foreign Language Department Request for Waiver of New Registration Priority
Summary: The Foreign Language Department (represented by David Tinsley) requested an exception to
the new faculty policy that limits upper class students' registration for all 100-level courses. Their concern
was that the new language requirement may restrict some juniors and seniors who must fulfill the new
foreign language requirement. They also argued that unlike many departments, freshmen enter the
Foreign Languages Department at various levels, not exclusively at the 100 level courses.
Action taken: The ASC approved (unanimously) an exception for 100-level foreign language courses to
the new registration policy that "registration for all 100 level courses . . . be closed to juniors and seniors
until all freshman registration is complete.”
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Study Abroad
9/25/01 Study Abroad Internship Credit Limit Waiver
Summary: Bill Barry requested that the ASC grant an exception to the rule that "no more than one unit of
credit may be assigned to a practicum, internship, or cooperative education placement" (p. 61 Logger).
The exception would be granted for transfer of internship credit from the Arcadia Dublin program, and
would not waive the 2 maximum total internship credits for the degree.
Action taken: The ASC passed (unanimously) a motion to allow for reasons particular to the Arcadia
Dublin program the transfer to Puget Sound of up to 1.5 units of academic credit for internships related to
that program.
4/8/02 & 4/22/02 Interpretation of Logger on Study Abroad Approval by Foreign Languages
Summary: Michel Rocchi, Jannie Meisberger, and Bill Barry presented the background case of a study
abroad program in Cuba that had been approved by P&G and IPE, but whose foreign language courses
did not meet the standard for approval by Foreign Languages and Literature. At issue was whether lack
of approval by Foreign Languages also meant that the entire program would not be approved. The ASC
was asked to interpret the following Logger passage (underlined and in italics) to clarify the role of
Foreign Languages and Literature in study abroad program approval: "The director of International
Programs will review the proposed program. If the proposed study clearly falls within the areas of
expertise of on-campus faculty, the director will consult at least one appropriate faculty member or the
chair of an appropriate department about the quality of the program. Any program involving foreign
language study must have the approval of the foreign languages department. The director will then make
a recommendation for approval or non-approval, based on the program's quality, to the associate dean.”
(p. 76). An ad-hoc subcommittee comprised of Rocchi, Barry, and Meisberger proposed the following
revision to replace the underlined passage: “The director will then make a recommendation for approval
or non-approval, based on the program's quality, to the associate dean. Any foreign language or
literature instruction course in the proposed study abroad program must also have the approval of the
foreign languages and literature department.” (Note that the order of the last two sentences was also
switched in the revised language.)
The subcommittee also recommended a similar revision to a related paragraph in the Logger (p. 77),
which replaces the original text: Any program involving foreign language study for residency credit must
have the approval of the foreign language department with the new phrasing: Any foreign language or
literature instruction course in the proposed study abroad program submitted for residency credit must
also have the approval of the foreign languages and literature department.
Action taken: The ASC passed (unanimously) a motion to approve the new language.
4/8/02 Request for ASC approval of the Cuba Study Abroad Program
Summary: Barry requested that the ASC permit partial approval of the proposed study abroad program in
Cuba.
Action taken: The ASC approved (unanimously) Barry’s request.
Academic Honesty
3/11/02 & 5/6/02 Review the "Response to Instances of Plagiarism and Other Acts of Academic
Dishonesty"
Summary: A subcommittee was assembled to review the Logger policy on academic dishonesty (p. 3335). Barnett first raised concerns in the May 2, 2001 ASC meeting that the burden of response to acts of
academic dishonesty falls overly on the individual faculty member. Of particular concern was the dual
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burden on junior faculty for both investigating cases of academic dishonesty and for confronting students
with allegations. The subcommittee raised three issues for discussion: penalty grading; action for first
offenses; and alternative procedures for handling plagiarism, such as a hearing board or ombudsperson.
Action taken: None. A subcommittee (Barnett, Foster, and Porter) will draft a survey during the summer
(2002) to ask faculty: (1) how prevalent academic dishonesty is, and (2) whether or not faculty would
support a change in systems for handling cases of academic dishonesty, i.e., whether they want a
centralized or decentralized system.
Annual Routine Functions
Petitions Subcommittee
The Academic Standards Committee has on-going responsibilities for reviewing student petitions for
waiver of academic policies. The Petitions Subcommittee met weekly and reported its decisions at each
biweekly full committee meeting.
Hearing Board
Members of the Academic Standards Committee convened three hearing board sessions during the
2001-2002 year.
1. October 12: The hearing board met to review a case of plagiarism. The board determined plagiarism
had occurred, and one of two students involved received a failing grade for the course.
2. December 13: The hearing board took the unprecedented step of issuing a one-term dismissal to a
first-year student for multiple plagiarism infractions in a single class. The student was invited to apply
for reinstatement in the coming summer (2002).
3. March 11: The hearing board met to decide a grade dispute. The board determined that the grade
would be retained for lack of evidence of an error in grade computation.
Suggested Charges for Academic Standards Committee 2002-2003
1. Review the "Response to Instances of Plagiarism and Other Acts of Academic Dishonesty".
2. Review the Emergency Medical Withdrawal policy. This charge was made to the 2001-2002 ASC,
but was not reviewed because the policy had not been used.
3. Address a request by the Biology Department that students enrolled in Biology 392, Junior Seminar,
be exempted from the requirement to pay for academic overloads greater than 4.25 units.
Respectfully submitted 5/15/02
Robin Foster, Chair
Academic Standards Committee
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