Submitted:
December 10, 2013
For Senate Meeting:
January 21, 2014
Committee Name:
Admissions and Academic Policies
Chair:
Kristi Robinia
Subject:
Change in Standards for Honors
(AAPC vote: 12/6/13)
The AAPC committee recommends the Senate take action to approve the following changes
in Standards for Honors:
Proposal: Change the GPA requirements for Honors to the following:
Graduation Honors GPA requirements
Cum Laude
Magna Cum Laude
Summa Cum Laude
3.5 - 3.74
3.75 - 3.89
3.9 - 4.0
(Currently 3.30- 3.59)
(Currently 3.60 - 3.79)
(Currently 3.80 - 4.0)
Dean’s List GPA Requirements
Deans List criteria
3.5
(Currently 3.25)
Effective: Deans List Criteria effective for Fall 2015; all other honor’s criteria effective for Fall
2016.
Rationale for Change: In May 2013, 47% of NMU graduates received honors recognition. A
review of honors criteria at other Michigan Public Universities revealed that the current
standards for both graduation honors and Dean’s List honors are below those of our peers.
University
Central Michigan University
Eastern Michigan University
Ferris State University
Grand Valley State University
Lake Superior State University
Michigan State University
Michigan Tech
Northern Michigan University
Oakland University
Deans List
3.50
3.50
3.50
3.50
3.50
3.50
3.25
3.60
Cum
Magna Cum
Laude
Laude
3.50
3.75
3.50
3.70
3.50
3.75
3.77
3.87
3.50
3.70
top 20% (with honors)
3.50
3.70
3.30
3.60
3.60
3.75
1
Summa Cum
Laude
3.90
3.90
3.90
4.00
3.90
top 6%
3.90
3.80
3.90
Saginaw Valley State
University
U of M
U of M- Dearborn
U of M- Flint
Wayne State University
Western Michigan University
3.35
3.50
3.50
3.50
3.75
3.50
3.40
3.60
top 25%
top 10%
3.2-3.59 - with distinction
3.5 (with honors)
top 20%
top 10%
3.50
3.70
3.80
top 3%
3.60
3.75 (high honors)
top 5%
3.90
AAPC concurs that NMU needs to re-align with other Michigan peer Universities. The current
rate of graduates receiving NMU honors is excessive and undermines the distinction of receiving
such recognition.
Rational for Effective dates: Allowing one year’s transition is adequate for Dean’s list criteria;
two years is required for students adjusting to the criteria for graduation honors. This gives
students enough of a warning that the criteria are changing, and a sufficient number of semesters
to try to achieve the new standards before they are implemented.
2