I ask you to refer the following to the Academic Policies Committee for
their first spring 1997 meeting.
In light of the introduction next fall of intermediate grades, the
following Governance Manual references may need to be considered
for interpretation or possible revision, as well as, perhaps,
Governance Manual references to minimal QPA's (academic probation,
graduation honors, ...).
(1) "Continuing Education":
Upon completing 15 credits with a "C" average or better,
students may apply for degree status and continue studies on either a full
or part-time basis.
(2) "Final Examination":
The final examination policy of the University shall permit a faculty
member to excuse a student from the final exam providing the student has
attained superior achievement (an "A" average) prior to the final
exam.
(3) "Proficiency Policies and Placement":
Students placed in a developmental mathematics course must
satisfactorily complete it with a grade of C or above prior to
taking any mathematics course at the 100 level or higher or any QARC
course
(4) "Part-Time Non-Degree Students":
After part-time non-degree students have completed at least 15 credits
in at least two subject areas with an average of C or better, they
may apply for degree-seeking status.
(5) "Academic Amnesty":
Students may use courses taken in the period before amnesty was
granted to fulfill general education or major requirements, only if a
grade of C or higher was received in the course.
(6) "Graduate Studies: Minimal Admission and Retention Criteria":
Probationary admission may be granted to students with less than 2.75
average at the discretion of the department. Probationary status students
must apply for regular admission after completing four courses in the
department. A grade average of 3.0 and no more than one C are
required for consideration for regular status.
(Inexplicably, I have found no Governance Manual reference to
the requirement that all students must complete ENGL110 and COMM100 with a
grade of "C" or higher.)
In addition to the above references, the Academic Policies Committee may
wish to consider recommending a global policy covering all departmental
references to letter grade minima (e.g. admission-to-the-major and
retention-in-the-major criteria, prerequisites for courses), with
exceptions to that policy to be accomplished simply by the department
chair's informing the Provost.
The most common interpretations(*) by universities that have adopted
intermediate grades seem to be the following:
(1) references to GPA minima are unchanged.
(2) references to letter grade minima are redefined as references to
letter grade ranges (e.g., "minimum of C" is redefined as "minimum of
C-";
(3) references to letter grade average minima are redefined as QPA
minima (e.g., "minimum of C average" is redefined as "minimum of
2.00")