Academic Policy Committee Meeting Minutes October 7, 2011

Attendance: Alice Loper, Kirk Armstrong, Mark Vail, Chandra Power, Martha Colvin, Amy Pinney, Andrei Barkovskii, Bryan Marshall, Jason Rich, Robert Blumenthal, Stephen Auerbach, Olufunke Fonteonot

Regrets: Jennifer Flory, Warren Belanger

1)      Call to Order – Amy Pinney

2)      Minutes were read and approved

3)      New Business: Guest Alice Loper

 Alice Loper addressed the problems health clinic faces regarding student requests for attendance excuses. Alice provided us with a handout regarding issues concerning medical excuses from class.  Basically, students often come to the clinic with ‘bogus’ complaints because students are required to have a medical note. Privacy laws as to the particulars of their medical reasons is a violation of confidentiality. The health clinic only provides a walkout statement not a medical excuse. If a student is seriously ill and needs to miss class, the clinic will write a note. Serious or prolonged absences are handled through the office of Academic Affairs.  Alice Loper indicates that the only thing that will stop the problems with student excuses for medical absences is that if professors will stop requiring documentation for a medical absence.

It was pointed out that often students come up with the idea for a medical documentation on their own. 

It was indicated that it is the clinic’s right to develop their own policy regarding providing notes to class as it is the professor’s right to develop his/her own policy regarding attendance as long as it falls within the guidelines set forth by the GCSU handbook.

It was suggested that students need to be reminded that it is ea violation of the honor code to lie about the absence.

Faculty cannot ask for a medical diagnosis as that is a violation of HIPA.

Because of the petition process it may be important to know exactly what kind of documentation was provided. We need to clarify the policy. 

The committee gave unanimous verbal support to Alice Loper to pursue changing their policy to say that the clinic will no longer give out excuses for health reasons.

4)      Old business

a.       Report back on ECUS mtg – Amy

                                                               i.      Faculty handbook discrepancy being dealt with by the provost so it is no longer with this committee.

                                                             ii.      RPIPC will take up the smoking policy.

                                                           iii.      TA vs. GA issue is something that we can take to Ormond

                                                           iv.      Honors Option – Steve Eliot –Gower will come to this committee to address that policy.

b.      Syllabi requirements. Kirk and Mark.

It’s a risk issue to have the common syllabi components provided electronically with a link.   We would like clarification of the link risk.

5)      Additional New business

Mark introduced the issue of students video recording class lectures without permission from professors. Marc Cardinalli of Legal Affairs

As a rule students must have a permission from faculty

FERPA protection since fellow students can be recognized.

We agreed to undertake writing a policy addressing this issue.

6)      Meeting was adjourned