Minutes of 2-20-04

Committee on Academic Policies and Standards

Faculty Members Present:  Jac Bulk, Susan Crutchfield, Mark Headington, Marc Rott, Sharon Jessee

Student Members Present: Jason Sanatski

Members Absent:  Adrienne Loh, Mike Haupert, Rob Wolf, Barry Schockmel

Guests/Consultants:  Diane Schumacher (Registrar); Chris Bakkum (CLS), Carla Burkhardt

1.  Meeting is called to order at 3:35 p.m.

2.  M/S/P:  Minutes of 2-06-04 with a friendly amendment (change "admonished verbally" to "informed")

3.  Old Business: Appeals Process for Excess Credit Policy

Char Marc Rott clarified for the committee that our charge on this matter is to make a recommendation to the Faculty Senate for some sort of policy to be in place for Appeals to the Excess Credity Policy initated by UW System. 

Discussion: whether or not an appeals process is necessary to deal with unforseen problems and extenuating circumstances.   Concern:  will creating a committee made up  of  representatives from various campus constituencies be more bureaucratic work than necessary?  Concern:  if there is no committee, student appeals may not get a full consideration of all of the issues involved; reasons for appeals may involve circumstances beyond academic issues.  Concern:  where will the extra dollars generated by excess credits go?  Is conflict of interest a potential problem without an appeals committee?

M/S/P: to support the proposal for the appeals process.  Four in favor; one opposing vote; one abstention.

4.  New Business:  Proposal to CAPS:  George Arimond proposes to offer 402 as a two week, three credit course and needs the committee's approval.  402 to be offered in May Term needs to be shortened due to Internships which the students must begin.  Background:  14 students wrote appeals for 402 since they could not get in this Spring term; department is currently understaffed and all faculty are teaching an overload.

This appeal is for one time only—this May Term.

M/S/P:  to approve the appeal for May, 2004, due to the current staffing shortage.

One abstention.

5.  New Business:  Draft,  "Proposed Procedures for Unofficial Withdrawals"

Diane Schumacher presented a revised draft to the committee, emphasizing the effort to make the new procedure as faculty-friendly as possible; i.e., to simplify the necessary recordkeeping.

Discussion: the most challenging aspect of implementing the new procedure will be to educate faculty on how to determine when a student earns an F based on non-participation. 

Discussion:  suggestions for draft revisions were discussed and duly noted by Diane Schumacher.  With committee consensus on some "friendly amendments,"

M/S/P: to approve the Proposed Procedures for Unofficial Withdrawals (as amended in our discussion).  Unanimous pass.

M/S/P:  to adjourn the meeting at 4:47 p.m.

Minutes recorded by Sharon Jessee