A&S; Curriculum Committee Minutes, 9/30/97
COLLEGE OF ARTS AND SCIENCES
CURRICULUM COMMITTEE MINUTES
SEPTEMBER 30, 1997
Members present: S. Davis, J. Hart, S. Maloney, M. Rohmann, E. Segal (Chair), R. TaylorMembers absent: R. Sahoo
Professor Segal called the meeting to order at 9:45. The Committee prepared its report to the Faculty Assembly on the undergraduate academic policies proposed by the Undergraduate Initiatives Committee. The recommendations are: 1. Repetition of courses: policy recommended by the commission is identical to current A&S; policy. 2. Transfer grade acceptance: the Committee recommends against approval of the proposed policy to grant credit for transfer courses in which a grade of "D" was earned. 3. Program grade point average: the Committee recommends approval of the proposed policy. The change would discontinue program grade point average and replace it with a university grade point average. The university grade point average would be calculated on the basis of all non-remedial work taken at the University of Louisville. As a corollary to this change, the college would accept all non-remedial work as degree-applicable. 4. Transfer equivalency determination: the Committee recommends approval of the proposed policy. In addition, the Committee recommends that all units honor the equivalencies determined by the "best fit" unit. The recommendation for approval does not encompass the note in the "Commission Comments" which suggests the possibility of assigning determination of equivalency of 100-200 level courses to the Office of Admissions. b. Community college transfer limits policy (total hours required): the Committee recommends approval of the proposed policy. 5. Residency: the Committee recommends approval of the proposed policy. 6. Grade status change (audit/credit): the policy recommended by the Commission is identical to the current A&S; policy. 7. Late complete withdrawal after deadline: the Committee recommends approval of the proposed policy. The policy does not change the role of the instructor in approval of selective late withdrawals at any point, or of complete withdrawals once a grade has been assigned. 8. Academic bankruptcy: the Committee recommends against approval of the proposed policy, but would support the following policy: Students who have been out of higher education for at least two years and then return to achieve a 2.50 grade point average or higher on at least the first 12 degree-applicable hours are eligible to apply for Academic Bankruptcy. Under this policy, students (if approved) may void one or more entire semesters of college work. Bankruptcy may be declared only once in an entire career at the University of Louisville, regardless of changes in enrollment unit. The voided semesters will be removed from the student's grade point average and semester hours completed calculation. When application of the bankruptcy policy results in the voiding of a required course, a prerequisite, or part of a sequence of courses which has been successfully completed and which is necessary for the student's program, that portion of the requirement will be waived, and an equivalent number and level of elective hours shall be required for graduation. Students are advised that while the voided hours are taken from their grade point average calculation, the course work does remain a part of the permanent record. The bankrupted work may be considered for financial aid purposes, NCAA purposes, and may be evaluated if applying for honors or graduate study. Additionally, students must be aware that Academic Bankruptcy is an internal policy and the University of Louisville cannot guarantee how the work will be viewed by another university, should the student choose to transfer. 9. Warning, probation, and suspension: the Committee recommends against approval of the proposed policy. 10. Enrollment standards: the Committee recommends approval of the proposed policy. 11. Catalog year: the Committee recommends against approval of the proposed policy. The Committee believed that the seven-year catalog limitation proposed would be detrimental to part-time students, who frequently take more than seven years to complete a degree. It also believed that currency of catalog and currency of course content were separate issues. The Committee canceled its regularly scheduled meeting of October 7. The next meeting will be October 21. The meeting was adjourned at 10:30. [10/2/97]