Oakland University Senate

Feb. 9, 1967

Agenda

MEMORANDUM
February 6, 1967

To: All Members of the Senate

From: Donald D, O'Dowd, for the Steering Committee

Re: Agenda for Meeting of February 9, 1967.

The next meeting of the Senate will be on Thursday, February 9, at 3:50 p.m. in Rooms 128, 129 and 130 of the Oakland Center.

A. Old Business

1.  Recommendation from the Academic Affairs Committee (Mr. Burke)

a. The Committee urges the adoption of the following amended version of the University grading system:

The numerical grading system adopted on April 15, 1963, will include grades ranging in tenths of a point from 0.0 to 4.0, with the exception of the grades 0.1 to 0.4 inclusive. The grades 4.1, 4.2, and 4.3 will no longer be considered part of the grading system. This amended grading system will take effect in the winter semester of 1967.

This recommendation is inspired by the mounting reports of confusion in communication and injustice to students which result from the existence of grades in excess of 4.0.

b. On the basis of the discussion of the foregoing motion the Academic Affairs Committee wishes to add the following section to the motion:

Performance of exceptional merit in any course may be given special recognition by means of a Commendation Certificate. The Certificate consists of a written citation for exceptional academic performance prepared by the course instructor and approved by the Dean of the appropriate school or college. An appropriate symbol will be entered in the transcript along with the course grade for which a Commendation Certificate is issued and a copy of the Commendation will become a part of the official transcript.

Comment:
This addition to the motion is designed to broaden the scope of the action available to faculty members who wish to reward academic work of unusual value. At the same time it provides a new means for rewarding and encouraging students who have the capacity to perform at a high level. This device may serve to strengthen graduate school and employment applications of the most able students. The Commendation Certificate is not limited by this motion to students who have a grade of 4.0 In a course. Ideally, Commendations would be issued no more frequently than once per 100 course enrollments.

c. The following amendment to the motion under discussion proposed by Mr. Hetenyi was seconded at the last meeting of the Senate and is subject to a vote at this meeting:

The transcript will have printed on its face "grades above 4.0 are honors grades."

B. New Business

1. Recommendation from the Committee on Instruction (Mr. Lowy)

a. The Committee on Instruction respectfully submits the following proposal to be considered by the Academic Senate. It is to appear on page 42 of the current catalog following the paragraph about I - Incomplete

I.   P - Progress

The grade of "P" is a temporary grade that may be given only in a course that could not be completed In one semester. Such courses are primarily research in nature. It is given only for work that is satisfactory in every respect except that completion necessitates going beyond one semester.

"P" grades must be removed within two calendar years from the date of assignment. If not removed within the time limit the "P" will be changed to an "N".

Comment:
Many courses are being conducted currently as research projects or other long-term activity with both the instructor and student realizing full well that they cannot be completed within one semester. In order to properly assess fees for such a course, registration is necessary. To assign an I - (Incomplete) at the end of the first semester seems to assign a negative connotation to an otherwise respectable activity. In order to encourage students to engage in these long-term projects, and to avoid the chaos attendant to beginning such projects without registering for them (leaving the record totally ignorant and also reducing total credits delivered) the above proposal seems like an appropriate alternative.

2. Recommendation from the Academic Affairs Committee (Mr. Burke)

a The Academic Affairs Committee recommends that the Senate approve a second semester course in Speech, to be called Speech 301, beginning in Fall, 1967, as specified in the following motion.

 A second semester of Speech is authorized, effective September, 1967, to be called Speech 301 (4 credits), in the theory and practice of oral communication, designed for students who have had some experience in this area and wish to increase their competence. Prerequisite: Speech 201, or consent of instructor.

Comment:
On April 6, 1966, the Senate approved "a course in Speech", and Mrs. Hirschfeld was appointed to teach it. She has found, however, that students here fall into two groups with regard to Speech: those who are very shy before an audience, and need maximum encouragement, and those who have been on high school debating teams (etc.), and need maximum criticism. Obviously it is difficult, if not impossible, to teach both these groups together. Also, one semester is simply not enough time for both a theoretical introduction to the field of oral communication, and practice at different types of speeches.

3. Report of Steering Committee Activities

a. The Steering Committee has sought to revitalize the ad hoc Committee on Honors Programs that has been decimated by leaves, sabbaticals and other natural phenomena in recent semesters. This committee was established on instructions from the Senate a year and a half ago. Mr. Hough is now chairman of the committee and Mrs. White and Mr. Rawick are the faculty members who complete this three member committee.

DDO'D:tk
cc: All members of the Faculty and Administrative Staff