Richmond Scholars Program Steering Committee
Annual Report 2014-15
The Richmond Scholars Program (RSP) administers various merit scholarships to
undergraduates, each of which has a minimum award equivalent to full tuition. In
addition, some scholarships include awards of room and board. The RSP designations are
the Artist Scholars (tuition), Boatwright Scholars (tuition), Oldham Scholars (tuition,
room, board (T, R, B)), Robins Science Scholars (T, R, B), and Science Scholars
(tuition). A number of Richmond Scholars also participate in the Oliver Hill Scholars
Program. The Richmond Scholars Program is managed by a director who also chairs the
Richmond Scholars Steering Committee. Most members of the Steering Committee serve
on the RSP selection committees. The RSP Steering Committee meets at least once in the
fall and spring semesters respectively, while also responding to issues that concern the
Richmond Scholars Program throughout the academic year.
Committee Membership: Ted Bunn, Jennifer Cable (chair and ex officio), Tina Cade (ex
officio), Cindy Deffenbaugh (ex officio), Laura Knouse, Barry Lawson, Johann Stegmeir,
Gil Villanueva (ex officio), and Jonathan Whitaker
Our committee met on May 16, 2014, to review the previous academic year and consider
topics for 2014-15; the discussion items for that meeting included:
> Review and discussion of RSP Steering Committee annual report
> Review and discuss RSP annual report and general debrief regarding the
selection process; in addition, consider early plans for recruitment in 2014-15
> Review RSP scholarship recipient survey results
> Review minimum GPA policy and status of Richmond Scholar (RS) and
Presidential Scholar (PS) students on probation
> Consider Artist Scholar request to move from one area to another (in this case,
move from Music to Theater). The committee considered what steps should be
involved, eventually deciding to require a re-audition, before the Artist Scholar
selection committee, in addition to gaining approval from both departments
involved.
The Steering Committee discussed electronically, in early October, to allow an Artist
Scholar to move from one instrument of focus to another. In this case, we decided that
this could be handled entirely within the department, beginning with approval from the
chair of the department, as well as the instructor of record in the preferred instrument
area, followed by an approval vote from the entire department. This was resolved within
a week and the Artist Scholar moved from principal instrument oboe to principal
instrument voice.
The Steering Committee met on December 12 to consider any scholarship appeals (a
Presidential Scholar appealed and was granted a fourth semester of scholarship) and to
complete our work of updating the CGPA policy (attached). We also considered
alternative ways for recruiting Oliver Hill Scholars, but determined that, for now, we
would continue with our current recruitment plan.
Our final meeting of the semester will be held on May 5, 2015. During that meeting we
will review all student appeals under the CGPA policy, review the annual reports for both
the Richmond Scholars Steering Committee and the Richmond Scholars Program, and
address any new business.
Our enrollment goal for this year was 45 Richmond Scholars. The “Candidate Reply
Date” is May 1, 2015. As of today’s date, April 30, 2015, our enrollment is as follows:
Category
Enrollment
Goal
Offered Enrolled
Yield
Artist
Boatwright
Oldham
Robins Science (T,R,B)
Science Tuition Only
RS Total (as of 4/30/15)
6
20
7
4
8
45
10
48
14
6
17
104
4
20
4
1
4
33
40%
42%
29%
17%
24%
32%
Oliver Hill
15
19
6
32%
I would like to sincerely thank the members of the Richmond Scholars Program Steering
Committee for their exceptional service throughout the academic year, as they were
unstinting in sharing their time and expertise.
Respectfully submitted, April 30, 2015
Jennifer Cable
Chair, Richmond Scholars Program Steering Committee
Director, Richmond Scholars Program
Richmond Scholars Program Steering Committee
Ted Bunn
Tina Cade, ex officio
Cindy Deffenbaugh, ex officio
Laura Knouse
Barry Lawson
Johann Stegmeir
Gil Villanueva, ex officio
Jonathan Whitaker
Richmond Scholars Program Minimum GPA Policy – In effect beginning 1/1/2015
This policy applies to all Richmond Scholars and Presidential Scholars
Richmond Scholars and Presidential Scholars must maintain a 3.0 CGPA in order to
retain their scholarships. A Richmond Scholar or Presidential Scholar with three
semesters (consecutive or not) with a CGPA below 3.0 will, by default, have the
scholarship revoked. The student may, in accordance with the Richmond Scholars /
Presidential Scholars GPA policy (outlined below), petition the Richmond Scholars
Steering Committee for one final (fourth) semester of scholarship if evidence in the
academic record suggests that a fourth semester can result in a CGPA of 3.0 or
higher. The Richmond Scholars Steering Committee may choose to deny the petition for
a fourth semester of scholarship, in which case the scholarship will be immediately
revoked. If the petition for a fourth semester of scholarship is granted, and a CGPA of 3.0
or higher is not achieved after the fourth semester of scholarship, the scholarship will be
revoked.
1. First semester with cumulative GPA (CGPA) under 3.0:
You will receive an alert letter (electronically) from the Richmond Scholar
Director (copy sent to mentor and Office of Financial Aid). The Richmond
Scholars Director will request that you confirm receipt of the letter and
might, in certain cases, ask to meet with you at the beginning of the
following semester.
The alert letter will highlight the expectation that the next semester GPA
should be above a 3.0 with the goal of raising the CGPA above a 3.0.1
2. Second semester with CGPA under 3.0:
If the CGPA remains below a 3.0 for a second semester, all Richmond
Scholars and Presidential Scholars will have one more semester (a third)
in which to reach the CGPA of 3.0 or above. It is expected that any
Richmond Scholar or Presidential Scholar whose academic work is below
a CGPA following two semesters will meet regularly with his or her
mentor as well as the Director of the Richmond Scholars Program. A letter
stating this expectation will be sent to the student, with a copy to the
mentor and the Office of Financial Aid.2
At this point the Richmond Scholars Director will alert the Steering Committee of
the circumstances of the student(s) who are in the situation outlined above.
3. Third semester with CGPA under a 3.0:
Your scholarship will be discontinued following a third semester with
1
Please note that, should a student choose to study abroad, that semester will be counted as one of the
remaining semesters available to return the cumulative GPA to a 3.0 or above. In addition, the student
should be aware that grades from a study abroad experience do not affect the Richmond GPA.
2
Tutors for some subjects can be located through the Academic Skills Center or the Writing Center; if
tutors are required outside of those resources, they will be retained at the student’s expense.
your CGPA below a 3.0. Students may appeal under extraordinary
circumstances to the Richmond Scholars Steering Committee for a fourth
semester in order to raise their CGPA above a 3.0. The appeal should be
made no later than 5 days following the end of the fall term, or 7 days
following the end of the spring term; appeals may be submitted earlier
than the deadline. The Richmond Scholars Steering Committee will
review the appeal once all documents have been submitted.3 If the appeal
is successful, the student will have one final semester (a fourth) in order to
raise the CGPA above a 3.0. If the student does not raise the CGPA above
3.0 in the fourth semester the scholarship will be terminated. If the
Richmond Scholars Steering Committee rejects the appeal, the scholarship
will be terminated. The student will be notified of the outcome of her or
his appeal within one week of receipt of all appeal documents.
Updated 1/1/15
3
Should the student wish to appeal to the Richmond Scholars Steering Committee, a letter must be written
by the student to the committee, stating the reasons why an additional semester should be permitted. In
addition, the student should provide the committee with a complete transcript that includes the GPA for
each semester. Only completed academic work will be considered by the Richmond Scholars Steering
Committee during the appeal process; incomplete academic work will stand as is and will not delay the
appeal decision. The student should also submit a plan outlining the specific measures she or he will take to
remedy her or his situation.