Academic Policies Report 2007-2008

 

August 21, 2008

To:  Secretary of the Faculty

From:   Laura Gellott, Chair, Academic Policies Committee 2007-08

Re:  Annual Report

The Academic Policies Committee (APC) for 2007-08 was made up of the following individuals:

Professors Laura Gellott (chair), Stuart Hansen, James Kinchen, John Longeway, Carmel Ruffolo, Joy Wolf;  Academic Staff: Ron Otto;  Administrative Representative: Professor Doug DeVinny; Ex Officio: Rhonda Kimmel (Registrar); Joann Goodyear (Director of Advising).

For several months in 2008 Theron Snell substituted for Joann Goodyear who was on-leave.

Student membership and participation varied over the year.

The committee met 12 times during the academic year. 

APC brought the following items to the Faculty Senate for consideration and action. The dates on which the policies were passed are noted.  The policies are quoted here in full as a way of concentrating in one place the academic policy legislation passed by the Senate in academic year 2007-08.

1. Proposal to extend Ranger Welcome Day for another three years: 2008, 09, 10, with assessment of the program to be developed by the First Year Experience Committee before further renewal.  Passed the Senate October 23, 2007.

 
2. Dean's and Provost's List (to replace wording on p. 40 of 2007-09 catalog; passed by the Senate on February 5, 2008)

Dean's List

The university recognizes outstanding academic performance of degree-seeking undergraduate students by publishing a Dean's List at the end of the fall and spring semesters.  Students whose names appear on the list will be notified in writing, and a notation is recorded on their transcripts.  The list includes all degree-seeking undergraduate students who have taken 9 credits or more and attained a semester GPA of 3.50 or higher at UW-Parkside.  There is no Dean's List during the summer or winterim sessions.

Provost's List

The university recognizes outstanding academic performance of degree-seeking undergraduate students by publishing a Provost's List at the end of the fall and spring semesters.  Students whose names appear on the list will be notified in writing, and a notation is recorded on their

transcripts. 

The list includes all degree-seeking undergraduate students who have taken 9 credits or more and attained a semester GPA of 3.80 or higher at UW-Parkside excluding courses which do not count toward graduation.  There is no Dean's List during the summer or winterim

sessions.

3.  Foreign Language Requirement (passed by the Senate on February 5, 2008)

The purpose of the foreign language requirement is to familiarize students with communication in another culture and with the cultural significance of language.  This is satisfied by completing two semesters, or the equivalent of two semesters, at the college level, of one foreign language. 

This requirement is to be completed by all degree-seeking students within the first 60 academic credits.

Meeting of the foreign language requirement:

The foreign language requirement can be met under any of the following circumstances.

1) Students who completed a minimum of two years of one second language at

a secondary school with a final grade of C or better (grade of C-minus is not acceptable) in the last course taken.

2) Students who completed one high school unit and one college semester in the same language, provided that the college course is at least on the second-semester level.

3) Students who are heritage speakers in a language taught at UW-Parkside or who have informally learned a language taught at UW-Parkside can meet the foreign language requirement if they take the UW System  placement test and place into the equivalent of the third semester (intermediate level) or above.

4) Students who are heritage speakers in a language not taught at UW-Parkside or who have informally learned a language not taught at UW-Parkside can meet the foreign language requirement upon certification at the intermediate level through the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL).

5) Students who have graduated from a foreign secondary school with a curriculum taught in the language native to that country, other than English, will be considered to have met the foreign language requirement.

6) International students from countries where English is not the primary language  are considered to have met the foreign language requirement when they meet the required standard of English competency at the time of admission through the appropriate Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) score.

4.  Use of SAT sub-scores in lieu of ACT scores.  (Passed by the Senate on March 11. 

Allows the use of SAT sub-scores, when students present those in lieu of ACT scores, for purposes of placement into English and Math courses.

5.   Degree GPA:  (Passed by the Senate on March 11, 2008)

 
Adds a notation on the transcript noting, as a permanent record, the student’s cumulative GPA at time of receipt of degree.  At present, the cumulative GPA fluctuates as students return post-degree to take additional courses, pursue certification, etc.

6.   Academic Skills and Reading/Writing/Computational Skills Requirements.  (Passed by the Senate on April 22, 2008)

       

a.  *ACSK 083:  Students who place into ACSK 083 must complete this requirement with a grade of C or better within their first two semesters (excluding summer and Winterim).  Students who fail to complete this requirement cannot take other classes until this requirement is completed.

Rationale:  Students who are placed into ACSK 083 need to complete this course as early as possible in their college careers in order to have a chance of success in any and all reading-based coursework which is to follow.  Students also need to clearly understand the institution's expectations and the consequences of failing to meet this requirement.

        

b.  * Skills Requirement:  This language replaces in part the wording of the skills requirement currently found on p. 27 of the 2007-09 catalog.  The addition is in bold type. 

Reading and Writing Skills

This requirement assists students in developing effective communication through the mastery of reading and writing skills.  Students satisfy this requirement with the completion of English 101 for 3 credits (with a grade of C-minus or better) or are exempt from the requirement if their placement examination results are above English 101. 

Computational Skills

This requirement assists students in developing effective basic computational skills necessary to an informed citizenry and provides support for other disciplines. Students satisfy the computational skills requirement with the completion of an introductory course in algebra or a survey course of mathematics (either Mathematics 102 for 3 credits or Mathematics 111 for 4 credits) with a grade of C-minus or better. Students are exempt from the requirement if their placement examination results are above Mathematics 102 or Mathematics 111. Students seeking teacher licensure must complete the course that satisfies this requirement with a grade of C or better.

Students are advised to complete this requirement as early as possible.  Students must complete the sequence of courses ending with ENGL 101 (writing skills requirement) and the sequence of courses ending with MATH 102 OR Math 111 (computation skills requirements) within their first 60 credits.   Students who fail to complete the sequence of courses ending with ENGL 101, or MATH 102 OR Math 111, cannot take other classes until this requirement is completed.

Rationale:  This new wording is intended to stiffen, or put some sanctions, into the 60 credit requirement currently on the books.  The most significant addition is the sanction that students will not be able to take other classes (besides the required English and Math) until the requirement is completed.

Retention research indicates that completing the skills requirements is important to success in college.  The First Year Experience Committee is working on a process to encourage the completion of these courses in a timely manner.

c.  * Information Literacy:  The Information Literacy requirement introduces

students to the general organization of information sources in the Library

and provides a basic understanding of how to perform an information search

using both paper and electronic research formats.  Students are urged to complete this requirement as soon as possible.  Students must complete the Information Literacy requirement within their first 60 credits.  Students who fail to complete the Information Literacy requirement within their first 60 credits cannot take other classes until this requirement is completed.

Rationale:  This proposal would extend the 60 credit deadline to the Information Literacy requirement as well as the other “skills” requirements.  Students should attain familiarity with the resources of the library as a prerequisite to doing college level research and use of on-line sources. 

Retention research indicates that completing the skills requirements is important to success in college. 

7.   Late Drop Policy.  (This wording would replace in part the statement of the policy as currently found on  pp. 34-35, 2007-09 catalog; passed by the Senate April 22, 2008)

A student may drop any course during the first half (i.e. the first eight weeks) of the semester.  The Registrar's Office will determine comparable deadlines for courses less than a semester in length. 

Beginning with the ninth week through the twelfth week a student may request permission to drop a course only for extraordinary, non-academic reasons.  Before requesting permission to drop, the student should discuss his/her circumstances with the instructor.  Any such request must be submitted to the Advising Center no later than the Friday of the twelfth week of instruction. The Registrar's Office will determine comparable deadlines for courses less than a semester in length.  The request must include a written explanation of the circumstances leading to the request. 

Requests denied or received after the deadline will be reviewed by the Academic Actions Committee.  Granting of requests by the Academic Actions Committee is not automatic.  A student should not assume that his/her request would be granted.

Rationale:  The current policy, which allows students to request a late drop as late as the last day of instruction, is proving to be impractical and unworkable.  It is also a far more generous late drop policy than is in place at other UW-System campuses. 

In cutting off the late drop policy with the Friday of the twelfth week of instruction, students who encounter a problem arising from an extraordinary non-academic reason would have recourse to:

1.  requesting an incomplete from the instructor(s) of those courses they find

themselves unable to complete. 

2.  Doing a late-withdrawal from all classes.