Minutes of the Academic Policies Committee
for February 13, 2006

Present: Gerald Greenfield (ex officio), Rhonda Holland Carmel Ruffolo, John Longeway (Chair), Stuart Hansen, Mary Power (ex officio), Michelle Slabik (student representative), Alexander McNair. Absent: Alice Chang (could not find the meeting room, which was changed at the last minute), David Beach (medical reasons).

1. The topic of discussion was the issue of late adds for courses. The policy followed in the Registrar’s office, Rhonda Holland pointed out, was set by the Faculty Senate on March 27, 2001. It is as follows:

“(2a) Adding a course

A student may add any course for which he/she has the prerequisites during the first week of the semester. During the second week, appropriate courses may be added with the written consent of the instructor. Beginning with the third week, a course may not be added. The Registrar’s Office will determine comparable deadlines for courses less that a semester in length.”

Although the policy for course drops allows a student whose request is denied to appeal to Academic Actions, there is no recourse of appeal indicated in the policy for adds. In particular, the practice in place before this action of the Senate, obtaining the signatures of the Instructor, Department Chairman, and Dean for an add after the second week, is not recognized. Many students have been trying to find out how they could appeal, and been turned away by the Registrar’s Office with the correct information that they could not appeal to make a late add.

Clearly, some addition to the existing policy is needed. It was suggested that the Academic Actions Committee might hear such appeals, as they hear appeals concerning late drops, but it was pointed out that most professors would be angered if they were informed by a committee that a student could not add a course that they wished to allow the student into. After discussion it was moved first that the Faculty Senate be advised to adopt the following policy [Rhonda–can you give me the exact wording you copied down?]: “From the 11 th day of classes on a student cannot add a course without written permission from the Instructor of the course, the Chair of the Department, and the Dean.” This was passed unanimously. It was then moved that the Faculty Senate be advised that there should be a Late Add Fee, to discourage late adds as much as possible, and this motion was unanimously rejected.