Two new proposals were introduced at the first University senate meeting of 2015 Tuesday, Jan. 13 at 3:30 p.m. in Broun Hall Auditorium.
Constance Relihan, assistant provost for undergraduate studies, presented the proposals.
The first is concerned with limiting the number of allowable course repeats with grades of D or F.
"Approximately six percent of our students had taken a non-repeatable course three or more times, and I have seen student transcripts of students who have repeated a course up to seven times," Relihan said.
The classes that are being repeated most often are lower level prerequisite courses, such as calculus II, English and differential equations.
Currently, students who receive a D or an F in a course are able to retake the course as many times as they would like.
The policy change would only allow students to repeat a course twice. Upon the third attempt to take the class, students are encouraged to seek academic counseling and must receive written permission from an academic dean.
"This policy would make sure a conversation occurs so that the student can have the unpleasant or difficult conversation with someone about whether they really have what it takes at this point in their life to succeed in whatever the major is," Relihan said.
The second is a change in wording of the capacity policy, regarding students transferring majors.
The current policy requires a student to "be in good standing," meaning a GPA of 2.0 or higher with the University in order to transfer majors if the major does not fall under the CAP policy.
Majors that fall under the CAP policy have a maximum number of students allowed in that major because of the limited number of studio spaces, specific accreditation standards or limited physical space on campus for students.
However, if there is no CAP policy on a major, any student in "good standing" is able to transfer.
The new policy would change the wording of the preamble to the CAP policy and only require students to be "currently enrolled" in the University.
"The goal here not to alter the current approved enrollment limitation policies for majors that have good and legitimate reasons for it," Relihan said. "It is to make sure students who are currently enrolled are able to transfer into any other major that is an open enrollment major."
Relihan said this change could benefit students who have below a 2.0 and believe their skill set would be fit for another major instead of struggling in a certain major.
The Academic Standards Committee introduced the proposals as Pending Action Items and will be voted on at the next University Senate meeting on Jan. 22.
Other senate news:
Two proposals that were introduced in the November University senate meeting were voted on in the meeting.
The first proposal regarded the revision of the Conflict of Interest policy within the research department to make the policy as clear and effective as possible.
"Employees [conducting research] must report any conflicts held by themselves or their immediate family which relate to the employees institutional responsibility," said Art Chappelka, faculty research council chair.
The proposal was voted on and passed with 87 percent.
The second proposal voted on was adding a library representative to the graduate council.
George Flowers, dean of the graduate school, re-introduced the proposal.
"We are looking to add a standing member of the graduate council from the to represent the libraries," Flowers said. "We are asking for a representative to review curriculum and other items within the graduate council."
This proposal was voted on and passed with 97 percent.
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