Academic Policy Committee Meeting Minutes December 2, 2011

In attendance: Warner Belanger, Chandra Power, Mark Vail, Stephen Auerbach, Martha Colvin, Kirk Armstrong, Robert Blumenthal, Olufunke Fonteonot,  Jennifer Flory, Amy Pinney, Jason Rich

Regrets: Andrei Barkovskii

Absent: Bryan Marshall

1)      Call to Order – Amy Pinney

2)      Approval of Minutes – minutes were approved

3)      Guest Kay Anderson

a.       Signatures to withdraw from a class – beginning last spring, only the advisor’s signature is required to withdraw and the advisor only has to sign if there is an advisor hold in place; instructor’s and dept. chair’s signatures are not required to withdraw

b.    Drop/add/withdraw notification.  Registrar’s office is planning to create an automated email to inform instructor when a student has withdrawn

c.       Advising holds – Unfortunately, some advisors don’t respond to students in a timely fashion and holds don’t get lifted. Students then turn to others to lift those holds.  Sometimes there is an emergency situation necessitating someone else releasing the hold.  There is no permanent release any more.  Advisors should keep documentation of what the advisor has told student to take (whether in DegreeWorks or some other format), so that if student isn’t following the advisor’s direction, the advisor isn’t liable.

Currently, the advisor hold works the same way any financial, library, parking hold works. When holds are controlled through PAWS, the only report is that the release occurred not where it originated from. It only says a web user not a specific person.

We need an honor system in place that discourages instructors from releasing holds on other instructors’ advisees.

Logistically, it’s difficult to insist that only advisors can release holds because there are still too many problems with record keeping within the institution. For instance, students switch degree programs and their advisors don’t get changed.

Registrar’s office is looking into text messaging program for registration and withdrawing/dropping. Students would have an “opt in” option for those. There may be an option for faculty to also opt in to receive emails/texts for notifications when holds are lifted.

4)      Fall Commencement – We received a formal recommendation for a fall commencement ceremony to be held at GCSU.  We began the discussion regarding fall commencement as there will be work load and cost issues to consider. We used to have a fall commencement that was done away with in or around 2006. There is also an existing committee for ceremonies and traditions that could consider this recommendation as well. With rising graduation rate, May commencement is huge and may be outgrowing the front lawn. Students who graduate in December typically don’t march in May. A fall commencement gives those students an opportunity for a formal recognition they might otherwise not receive and also gives the institution a small buffer for space in May. Limiting the number of guests students can have at the commencement ceremony is not a good will option. Students were surveyed last spring immediately following graduation about location and ceremonies. Student responses indicated desire for front lawn, evening, separate graduate and undergraduate ceremonies. Ultimately, commencement is the President’s decision.

5)      Old business

a.       Video Recording Class Lectures. Update from Mark – On November 8, Mark corresponded with Mark Cardinilli but has yet to hear a response.

6)      Any other issues?

a.       Chandra – Public availability of results of Student Opinion Surveys tabled until January

b.      Martha – Final exam schedule: Faculty adhering to final exam schedule (not adhering to those exam schedules). There is existing policy that says that faculty must give exam on the date proscribed by the exam schedule unless faculty has permission of department chair and dean. There are 75 hours required prior to final exam date/time. Faculty are supposed to meet with students for a meaningful final experience. It is also a legal issue because we are violating our own published policy.

We are now on a four year rotating exam schedule so students know when they are going to have exams.

This discussion was tabled until January meeting.

c.       Jason – Constitutional exam. We have to initiate an exam, so d (smarter to take 1150 because they get everything taken care of with that course.  More discussion in January.

7)      Adjourned at 4:47