Faculty Senate

ASCRC Minutes 10/21/08

Members Present: J. Bergman, T. Brockman, I. Crummy, J. Dempersmier, S. Gauthier,  T. Hunter, S. Lodmell, J. Luckowski, D. MacDonald, M. Martin, M. Nielsen, E. Uchimoto, K. Unger, R. Vanita, G. Weix, K. Zoellner

Members Absent/Excused: H. Thompson

Ex-Officio Present: M. Hoell, D. Micus, A. Walker-Andrews

Chair Weix called the meeting to order at 2:15 p.m.

Approval of the 10/14/08 minutes was postponed.  The approved writing courses were missing.  Revised minutes will be reviewed at the next meeting.

Communication

• The new student members were welcomed to the committee.

Business Items:

• Curriculum Review - Science and Math
  The Science and Math Subcommittee has 8 members. The chair divided the workload so that each proposal was reviewed by three members. There was no serious dissention on any of the items. The summary presented included deliberation comments. The items on the summary (below) were approved. The level II proposals in Applied Computing and Electronics were missing the Library Dean's signature and were therefore given approval pending the Library Dean signs the forms. The level II proposal for the new Biochemistry program was also missing the Library dean's signature. The proposal was missing the internal form, but had a completed Board of Regents signature page. The proposal included a 4 page collections analysis completed by Professor Barry Brown from the Mansfield Library.
• Withdrawal Policy
  The committee considered the proposed Dropping and Adding Course Policy language. Data on 20 Carnegie peers showed 45% having using the 8^th or 9^th week and 45% using the 10^th or 11^th week. The proposal extended the withdraw date to the thirteenth week or 65^th day. This was amended to the tenth week or 50^th day and unanimously approved. (Language appended below.)
• Grade Point Average Calculation Policy
  ASUM passed a resolution in support of using the last grade earned in calculating the grade point average. ASUM President Hunter provided a summary of Montana University System Course Repeat Policies as supporting documentation.
  
  This proposed change would not address the problem of why students are failing classes. A motion was made to retain the averaging policy for a year to determine whether the revised withdrawal policy has an effect. It was not seconded. Chair Weix would like the committee to decide whether it is ready to vote or requires more discussion next week.

The meeting was adjourned at 4:05 p.m.

ASCRC Science and Math Curriculum Summary

Proposal to change the course drop date from the thirtieth (30) instructional day to the fiftieth (50) instructional day of the semester, and the thirty-first (31) instructional day to the fifty-first (51 instructional day for drop petitions

Dropping and Adding Courses or Changing

Students are expected, when selecting and registering for their courses, to make informed choices and to regard those choices as semester long commitments and obligations.

After registering and through the first fifteen (15) instructional days of the semester, students may use (http://cyberbear.umt.edu) to drop and add courses or change sections and credits. Fees are reassessed on the fifteenth day of the term. Added courses and credits may result in additional fees. For courses dropped by the fifteenth instructional day, no fees are charged and courses are not recorded. (For deadlines and refund policy for withdrawal from all courses, see the Withdrawal sections of this catalog.)

An instructor may specify that drop/add is not allowed on the internet. A drop/add form is used to make changes in these courses, if approved by the instructor.

After adding a course, the credit/no credit grading option or auditor status may be elected on the internet or on a form available at the Registration Counter in Griz Central in the Lommasson Center. These options are not allowed for some courses as identified in the Class Schedule. Change of grading option to audit is not allowed after the 15th instructional day.

Beginning the sixteenth (16) instructional day of the semester through the thirtieth (30) fiftieth (50) instructional day, students use paper forms to drop, add, and make changes of section, grading option, or credit. The drop/add form must be signed by the instructor of the course and the student's advisor. The signed drop/add form must be returned to the Registration Counter (or the Registrar's Office at the College of Technology) no later than the thirtieth fiftieth instructional day. A $10.00 processing fee is charged for each drop/add form. Added courses and credits may result in additional fees. There are no refunds or reductions of fees for courses dropped and grades of W (withdrew) are recorded.

Beginning the thirty-first (31) fifty-first (51) instructional day of the semester through the last day of instruction before scheduled final examinations, students must petition to drop, add, and make changes of section, grading option, or credit. The petition form must be signed by the instructor of the course and the student's advisor and, in the case of drops only, by the dean of the student's major. A $10.00 processing fee is charged for each petition. Added courses and credits may result in additional fees. There are no refunds or reductions of fees for courses dropped, and the instructor assigns a grade of WP (withdrew/passing) if the student's course work has been passing or a WF (withdrew/failing) if the course work has been failing. These grades do not affect grade averages but they are recorded on students' transcripts.

Documented justification is required for dropping courses by petition. Some examples of documented circumstances that may merit approval are: registration errors, accident or illness, family emergency, change in work schedule, no assessment of performance in class until after this deadline, or other circumstances beyond the student's control.

The opportunity to drop a course for the current term or alter grading option for such a course ends on the last day of instruction before scheduled final exams. Dropping a course taken in a previous term or altering grading option or audit status for such a course is not allowed. The only exceptions are for students who have received a grade of NF (never attended) or new students unfamiliar with the drop process who have ceased attendance before the sixteenth day of instruction and can provide to the Registrar's Office instructor verification of non-attendance.

See the School of Law section of this catalog for the add and drop deadlines for law courses.