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Project Context
Summary of Committee Work to Date
Proposed Process for College/Faculty Evaluation

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Course Credit Definition Committee !
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From Provost Morrison: !
“As you may be aware, the 2009 Higher Education Opportunity Act (HEOA) for the first time established a federal definition of a “credit hour,” with which all institutions of higher education that receive Title IV funding must comply.
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Although current practice at Boston University complies with this new definition, this substantial change in federal guidelines is cause for us to reexamine our credit-awarding practices and ensure that our standards reflect BU’s status as a leading private research university in the 21st century… !
Accordingly, I am convening a University-wide committee to review our current practices and to recommend an alternative that complies with federal regulations, defines “credit” and “contact hour” in such a way that we award one credit for one contact hour, and ensures continued faculty oversight of the curriculum… !
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A review shows that two-thirds of courses offered at BU award four credits for the equivalent of three contact hours per week (4:3)…We need to reevaluate this practice in light of current expectations of the faculty and the increasing intellectual capabilities of our students.” !
Course Credit Definition Committee !
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John Straub (CAS) co-chair
Laurie Pohl (ENSA) co-chair
Lynne Allen (CFA)
Jack Beermann (LAW)
Tobe Berkovitz (COM)
John Caradonna (CAS)
Janelle Heineke (SMG)
Karen Jacobs (SAR)
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Gregg McDaniel (ENG)
Anita Patterson (CAS)
Jay Samons (CAS)
Stan Sclaroff (CAS)
Adam Sweeting (CGS)*
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Tanya Zlateva (MET)
Jeff von Munkwitz-Smith, ex officio
*Also a member of Faculty Council Executive Committee
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Course Credit Definition Committee !
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HEOA Final Regulations, 34 CFR § 600.24
“ [o]ne hour of classroom or direct faculty instruction and a minimum of two hours of out of class student work each week for approximately fifteen weeks for one semester or trimester hour of credit, or ten to twelve weeks for one quarter hour of credit, or the equivalent amount of work over a different amount of time; or an equivalent amount of work, established by the institution, for other academic activities including `laboratory work, internships, practica , studio work, and other academic work leading to the award of credit hours.
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Course Credit Definition Committee !
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Monitoring compliance with 34 CFR § 600.24 falls to regional accrediting bodies. !
Accreditor requirements: !
– review an institution’s policies and procedures for credit-hour assignment and administration of those policies and procedures !
– Make a reasonable determination of whether the institution’s assignment of credit hours conforms to commonly accepted
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practice in higher education !
– take appropriate actions to address an institution’s credit hour deficiencies !
“Institutions are responsible and accountable for demonstrating that each course has the appropriate amount of student work for students to achieve the level of competency (i.e., learning outcomes) defined by institutionally established course objectives…Institutions are accountable for assigning an amount of title IV credit hours for each course that corresponds to the quantity of work reasonably expected to be required in order to achieve those learning outcomes, and for documenting student achievement of those objectives. Institutions must assign credit hours in a way that complies with measures in !
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§600.2 and that conforms with commonly accepted practice in higher education… !
Accrediting agencies are not expected to review every course and related documentation oflearning outcomes; rather, the agency's review is of the policies and procedures the institution uses to assign credit hours, with the application verified by a sampling of the institution's degree and nondegree programs to encompass a variety of academic activities, disciplines,
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and delivery modes.” !
( from: March 2011 “Dear Colleague” letter from Department of Education: Guidance to Institutions and Accrediting
Agencies Regarding a Credit Hour as Defined in the Final Regulations Published on October 29, 2010 ) !
Course Credit Definition Committee !
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Currently, for two-thirds of BU classes students receive 4 credits for 3 contact hours. These courses include:
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Lecture-only courses that meet 150 – 160 minutes per week
Lecture plus discussion/language lab courses that meet an additional 50 minutes per week
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Lecture plus laboratory courses that meet an additional 4-5 hours per week
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Intensive courses with substantial independent research, projects, and experiences that meet less that four class hours p er week
Some programs, however, use a 1:1 credit-to-contact hour standard to assign credit to most courses in the major, e.g.
, CFA Music, ENG Mechanical
Engineering, LAW
Course Credit Definition Committee !
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Considerations in evaluation of course credit hours include …
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Capacity of additional courses will enhance student academic opportunities
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Consistency with principles and practice at other AAU institutions
Any changes should positively impact (and not inhibit) curriculum innovation
Issues to be evaluated in discussions around proposed definitions …
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Impact on faculty course load (in cases where contact hours are added)
Curriculum changes (credit hours required by program requirements)
Courses taken per semester (evaluation of “ full time ” status in credit hours)
Graduation requirements (total credits earned relative to courses taken)
Potential challenges in classroom scheduling
Course Credit Definition Committee !
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Course Credit Definition Committee !
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Survey credit assignment practices of peers for common courses
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Thought experiment: apply 1:1 contact per credit hour standard to existing undergraduate degree programs
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Assess costs and benefits of three options: current system, unit system, and application of a new set of proposed definitions and guidelines to BU courses !
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•   Like BU, at most peer institutions the semester course load for a full-time student is four courses.
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•   Peer institutions use a variety of credit assignment schemes. Many use a four credit system or unit system to delineate a course.
For traditional lecture-based courses, this often translates into four hours of class time per week. !
•   A variety of credit-assignment practices are used for courses that include or consist entirely of non-lecture-based pedagogies such as lab-based sciences, studio classes, and blended courses.
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•   The concept of the credit hour is in flux, particularly its basis in seat time. Yet the
Federal definition of the credit hour is expected to remain in force for the foreseeable future. !

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Survey credit assignment practices of peers for common courses
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Thought experiment: apply 1:1 contact per credit hour standard to existing undergraduate degree programs
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Assess costs and benefits of three options: current system, unit system, and application of a new set of proposed definitions and guidelines to BU courses !
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•   Need to address current 4:3 credit assignment practices that may not adequately reflect actual student effort.
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•   Need to develop institutional principles for the consistent assignment of credit hours to courses that 1) account for and anticipate changes in modes of instruction that differ from the traditional lecture format, and 2) that account for differences in expectations for student effort and academic achievement across disciplines and course type and level.
Do this by:
•   defining faculty, faculty contact, and scheduled credit hour
•   establishing guidelines to aid in assigning credit to course types across programs and disciplines using an intellectual content standard
•   allowing for flexibility in the application of guidelines with appropriate documentation

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•   The credit-hour reflects a fraction of student effort and achievement required to complete a Boston University course and degree. Both the course and degree are gauged by intellectual content.
•   To the extent possible, the desire is to create consistent standards in the assignment of credit hours to courses across disciplines. However, any standards or definitions of “ contact hour ” or “ credit hour ” must allow flexibility in interpretation to reflect expectations for academic effort and achievement.
•   The assignment of credit hours must ultimately be determined by faculty and administrators closest to the delivery of courses.
•   In cases where faculties elect to deviate from guidelines, their reasoning should be clearly documented.
Course Credit Definition Committee !
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Faculty: Who gets counted as providing faculty contact?
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Persons hired or appointed by Boston University to deliver or supervise instruction in a credit-bearing course.
NOTE: this definition applies only in the assignment of credit to courses
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Contact: What sorts of faculty contact may be assigned credit?
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One-to-many synchronous or asynchronous instruction with the expectation for interaction between students and faculty. One-on-one direct supervision of practica, externships and internships, clinical placements, studios, research, or scholarship.
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Scheduled contact hour:
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One weekly scheduled hour (50 minutes) or equivalent of faculty contact taking place in a Boston University approved room, facility, or site, or taking place via a Boston University-approved electronic platform.
Course Credit Definition Committee !
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•   The credit hour is a unit of academic effort and achievement that is best measured by faculty and administrators closest to instruction, including departmental faculty and school/college curriculum committees.
•   The credit hour has utility in the quantitative assessment of a student ’ s progress toward stated academic program and graduation requirements.
•   The Association of American Universities (AAU) has stated that credit hour should reflect “ student learning outcomes ” rather than “ seat time.
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•   For the purpose of assigning credit, measures of effort and academic achievement include, but are not limited to, time spent in the classroom, lab, studio, or on independent research as articulated in course syllabi and program requirements.
•   Certain courses, e.g.
, directed studies, internships, intensive seminars and lectures, laboratories, and studio classes, may consider intensity of engagement with the faculty and subject matter, as well as student responsibility for learning outcomes, in the assignment of credit to courses.
•   The conception of the credit hour must be consistent with prevailing external regulations and should meet or exceed best practices of peer institutions where such exist.
Course Credit Definition Committee !
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The following are proposed guidelines from which faculty or programs may deviate with justification.
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1 credit per 1 scheduled contact hour of lecture, recitation, or other required, scheduled interaction between faculty and students.
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1 credit per 2 scheduled contact hours of laboratory or studio class
For each of the above guidelines, we assume a minimum of 2 hours of independent student work per credit hour.
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1 credit per 3 hours per week of student effort in independent or directed study
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1 credit per 5 hours per week of student effort practica, internships, externships
Note: Certain courses, e.g., directed studies, internships, intensive seminars and lectures, laboratories, and studio classes, may consider intensity of engagement with the faculty and subject matter, as well as student responsibility for learning outcomes, in the assignment of credit to courses.
Course Credit Definition Committee !
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Course Credit Definition Committee !
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Faculty-led process with expectation for engagement of school/college faculty in development of recommendations
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Discuss proposed definitions and guidelines for assigning credit hours
Propose framework for evaluating courses consistent with definitions q
Consult with Deans regarding options q
Convey work to date and receive input q
Work with them to take discussion to their school/college faculties q   q   q
Actively engage colleagues within schools and colleges as options are evaluated and recommendations are developed
Recommend preferred alternative to University Provost; recommendation should include optimal timeline and dependencies
Draft final University policy
Course Credit Definition Committee !
17 !

Course  Credits  and  Class  Mee/ng
Hours  at  Boston  University  and
Comparison  Group  Ins/tu/ons
Ins/tu/on
Boston  University
Boston  College
Brown  University
Columbia  University
Emory  University
Fordham  University
Johns  Hopkins  University
New  York  University
Northeastern  University
Northwestern  University
Syracuse  University
The  George  Washington
University
TuTs  University
University  of  Miami
University  of  Pennsylvania
University  of  Rochester
University  of  Southern
California
3
1
3
1
4
4
Credits
4
3
4
3
1
3
4
1
3
3
4
Mee/ng
Hours   Credits
3
3
3
3
3
4
3
3
2
3
3
3
4
4
3
1
3
4
3
N/A
1
3
Mee/ng
Hours   Credits
3
3
4
3
3
3
3
3
N/A
3
3
3
4
4
3
3
1
3
1
3
4
3
Mee/ng
Hours   Credits
3
3
4
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
4
4
4
3
4
1
4
1
3
4
3
Mee/ng
Hours   Credits
3
3
4
3
4
3
4
6.5
3
3
3
3
4
4
3
3
1
3
1
3
4
3
Mee/ng
Hours   Credits
3
3
4
3
3
3
3
3
3
4
3
3
4
4
4
4
1
3
1
3
4
3
Mee/ng
Hours
3
3
3
4
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
4
3
3
3
3
4
3
1
3
1
4
4
3
3
3
3
3
4
3
1
3
1
4
4
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
1
4
1
4
4
3
3
4
4
3
4
3
1
3
1
4
4
3
3
3
3
3
4
3
1
3
1
4
4
3
3
3
3
3
3
Course Credit Definition Committee !
18 !

Course  Credits  and  Class  Mee/ng
Hours  at  Boston  University  and
Comparison  Group  Ins/tu/ons
Ins/tu/on
Boston  University
Boston  College
Brown  University
Columbia  University
Emory  University
Fordham  University
Johns  Hopkins  University
New  York  University
Northeastern  University
Northwestern  University
Syracuse  University
The  George  Washington  University
TuTs  University
University  of  Miami
University  of  Pennsylvania
University  of  Rochester
University  of  Southern  California
4
6
5
1
4
Credits
4
4
1
6.5
4
4
1
5
4
4
1
4
8
7
7
7
7
7
7
8
7
6
8
7
7
Mee/ng
Hours   Credits
8
7
4
7
4
3
1
3
3
4
4
4
3
1
4
1
4
3
3
1
3
4
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
4
Mee/ng
Hours   Credits
4
3
3
3
4
N/A
1
4
N/A
N/A
4
N/A
4
1
3
4
4
3
3
1
3
4
4
3
3
4
3
Mee/ng
Hours   Credits
8
N/A
4
4
4
3
1
4
N/A
N/A
5
N/A
4
6
4
3
4
4
4
4
N/A
4
N/A
1
3
3
4
4
Mee/ng
Hours   Credits
4
3
3
4
4
3
1
3
3
3
3
3
4
N/A
4
3
4
3
4
3
1
4
N/A
3
3
4
3
4
1
4
4
3
1
3
4
3
4
3
3
3
3
3
3
4
3
4
4
Mee/ng
Hours   Credits
3
3
3
3
4
3
1
3
2
4
4
4
4
1
3
1
4
4
3
1
3
3
3
4
4
3
3
5
Mee/ng
Hours
3
3
4
5
6
6
6
6
3
3
Course Credit Definition Committee !
19 !

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Current System - BU Credits Current System - External Credits Proposed Scheme Degree Program Requirement
130
110
90
70
50
210
190
170
150
Course Credit Definition Committee !
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