Oakland University Senate

Third Meeting
Thursday, November 13, 1975
3:15 p.m.
128-130 Oakland Center

AGENDA

Submitted by George T. Matthews, for the Steering Committee

A. Old Business

1. From the Agenda of October 9, 1975, (New Business), Motion 1. from the Academic Policy Committee unamended.

Second Reading. Eligible for final vote.

2. From the Agenda of October 9, 1975, (New Business), Motion 2. from the Academic Policy Committee unamended.

Second Reading. Eligible for final vote.

3. From the Agenda of October 9, 1975, (New Business), Motion 3. from the Academic Policy Committee unamended.

Second Reading. Eligible for final vote.

4. From the Agenda of October 9, 1975, (New Business), Motion 4.  from the Steering Committee unamended.

Second Reading. Eligible for final vote.

5. From the Agenda of October 9, 1975, (New Business), Motion 5. from the Steering Committee unamended.

Second Reading. Eligible for final vote.

B. New Business

1. Motion from the Steering Committee (Mr. Shacklett for the University Congress and the Steering Committee)

MOVED THAT THE UNIVERSITY SENATE ENDORSE THE EFFORTS OF THE UNIVERSITY CONGRESS TO ESTABLISH A BAN ON SMOKING IN OAKLAND UNIVERSITY CLASSROOMS AND THAT THE UNIVERSITY SENATE RECOMMEND THE PROMULGATION OF SUCH A BAN.

First Reading.

Comments: This motion originated in the University Congress last spring as indicated by the following communication (dated April 16, 1975) from the members of the University Congress to the members of the University Senate:

"The University Congress is urging President O'Dowd... to ban smoking in classrooms. This action has been taken for two reasons: First is the obvious health hazards of smoking, not only for the smoker, but for those exposed to the smoke; and two, that the absence of smoke in the classroom will make the atmosphere more conducive to concentration and learning by eliminating a major distraction.

It is our hope that the University Senate will join us in supporting this ban, as co-operation will be necessary for this ban to be effective. We are confident that the Senate will see the worthiness of this ban and will likewise advise the Administration on the merits of eliminating smoking from the classroom."

The Steering Committee has placed the matter on the Senate Agenda at the request of the University Congress.

2. Presentation of a report from the Academic Standing and Honors Committee and Academic Probation and Dismissal Policy for Undergraduates and Mr. Curtis Chipman, Chairperson of the Academic Standing and Honors Committee will present the report to the Senate. The report is reproduced below and will not be read unless called for. Mr. Chipman and members of the Committee are prepared to discuss the policy embodied in the report under rules of informal consideration. The Chair orders that discussion will terminate upon consideration of a motion to recommend to the President the adoption of the report as University policy or upon consideration of a motion to recommit for further study. A motion to recommend adoption will be considered as substantive and hence in first reading with further debate possible at second reading but with the report itself regarded as unamendable a motion to recommit will return the report to committee for further study and may contain suggestions for the committee's guidance as well as a specific date for resubmission.

The following is the report, dated October 20, I975, from the Academic Standing and Honors Committee, recommending approval of a new:

ACADEMIC PROBATION AND DISMISSAL POLICY FOR UNDERGRADUATES*
October 20, 1975

GENERAL PRINCIPLES

I. The Academic Probation and Dismissal Policy is administered by the Academic Standing and Honors Committee. The policy is based on the following principles and/or practices:

(a) Each student should be encouraged to make responsible decisions concerning educational progress. A student who is apparently not benefiting sufficiently from the educational opportunities available at the University should be advised to consider other alternatives. A non-achieving student should take the initiative and turn to more productive or satisfying activities before the committee finds it necessary to dismiss the student.

(b) The major share of a student's educational expense is provided by the State of Michigan and it is the responsibility of the university to see that these funds are properly used. If a student fails to make satisfactory academic progress toward a degree, dismissal action must be taken by the Academic Standing and Honors Committee.

(c) Some new students to the University (including transfer students) need a period of adjustment, therefore, very few students will be dismissed at the end of their first semester at the university. Furthermore, a student will seldom be dismissed without having been placed on probation in a previous semester.

(d) A student must have a 2.00 cumulative grade point average (G.P.A.) for graduation and the probation policy specifies that the student must make satisfactory progress toward this goal. Students who have fewer than 80 credits toward graduation and with averages below 2.00 are normally allowed to continue in the university on probation if it is reasonable to except that they can raise their cumulative G.P.A. sufficiently.

(e) A stipulation of the policy requires that students complete for credit most of the courses for which they register. N or WN grades received will be used to determine academic standing. While most students may expect to receive an occasional N or WN grade, the Academic Standing and Honors Committee feels that an excessive accumulation of N or WN grades is an indication of serious academic difficulty.

(f) Effort is made by the Academic Standing and Honors Committee to assemble and review pertinent information regarding each student in academic difficulty. Sometimes, however, there is information which would modify the decision if it were available. Consequently, students are advised to appeal the action of the committee if they feel there are valid reasons for rescinding probation or dismissal actions.

(g) Students who are not in good academic standing will be notified.

(h) Students who have been dismissed may appeal by completing an official Academic Standing Appeal Form and submitting it to the Academic Standing and Honors Committee within four days of receipt of the dismissal notice. The forms are available in the Student Services Records Office.

SPECIFIC PROCEDURES

There are two conditions which a student will normally need to satisfy to stay in good academic standing. The student (1) must not receive a disproportionate number of N or WN grades, nor (2) allow the cumulative grade point average to drop below 2.00.

II. Stipulations for students enrolled prior to the Fall Semester of 1976:

(a) N/WN grade stipulations:

(i) A student Is liable for dismissal If 16 credits of N/WN grades have been received and the number of credits of N/WN grades is greater than or equal to one third of the number of credits completed.

(ii) A student is continued on strict probation If 15 or-fewer credits of N/WN grades have been received and this number is greater than or equal to one third of the number of credits completed. A student in this category who receives 4 or more credits of N/WN grades in the next 16 credits attempted will be liable for dismissal.

(iii) A student who is in the second level of probation will be liable for dismissal if 8 or more credits of N/WN grades are received in the next 16 credits attempted.

(iv) A student who is in the first level of probation will will be liable for dismissal if 12 or more credits of N/WN grades are received in the next 16 credits attempted.

(b) Cumulative grade point average stipulations:

(i) Students with 80 or more credits toward graduation whose cumulative grade point average is below 2.00 are liable for dismissal.

(ii) A student with (T) transfer credits and (E) earned credits at Oakland University with T + E less than 80 whose cumulative grade point average at Oakland University is below
        Formula:   1.4 plus (0.6 E divided by (80-T)) is liable for dismissal

(iii). Students with cumulative grade point average above the minimum specified in (ii) above but below 2.00 will be assigned to the categories of first level of probation, second level of probation, and continued on strict probation corresponding to the first, second, and third or more consecutive semesters during which the above situation applies. A student continued on strict probation is liable for dismissal if satisfactory progress is not made by the end of the next semester.

(c) Dismissal Option Program

Students who are dismissed but who successfully appeal their case will be placed in the Dismissal Option Program for one semester. The purpose of such action is to require that the student meet with a person, designated by the Academic Standing and Honors Committee, to discuss the student's academic progress before registering for further courses and to assign the student to a counseling program. Students in this program who fail to make satisfactory progress, as defined by the Academic Standing and Honors Committee, will be automatically dismissed from the university.

III. Stipulations for new students enrolled in Oakland University beginning with the Fall Semester of 1976 and thereafter:

(a) Any student who has accumulated more than 32 credits of N/WN grades is liable for dismissal.

(b) The academic standing of a student whose accumulation of N/WN grades is below the above limit is based on a numerical approximation of progress toward graduation called an Academic Progress Indicator (API).

(c) In the computation of the API, W grades are not used.

(d) In the computation of the API, S/WS grades are assigned the numerical value of 2.0, N/WN grades are assigned the numerical value of 0.0.

(e) The computation of the API depends upon the number of credits of N/WN grades received and the number of credits earned toward graduation. There are three different cases:

(I) More than 27 credits toward graduation and more than 12 credits of N/WN grades: The API is the ratio of the sum of the honor points of the numerical equivalents of all grades received to the total number of credits attempted.

(2) More than 27 credits toward graduation and less than 13 credits of N/WN grades: The API is the ratio of the sum of the honor points of the numerical equivalents of all grades earned toward graduation to the number of credits earned toward graduation.

(3) Less than 28 credits earned toward graduation: The API is computed as in (I) above.

(f) A student with 80 credits or more toward graduation whose API Is less than 2.00 is liable for dismissal. A student with (T) transfer credits and (E) earned credits at Oakland University with T + E less than 80 whose API is less than 1.4 + (0.6E divided by (80-T)) is liable for dismissal.

(g) A student who is liable for dismissal at the end of a probationary semester is dismissed

(h) A student is placed on probation at the end of a semester if:

(1) The student is not liable for dismissal, but the API is less than 2.00.
OR (2) The student is liable for dismissal but is not already on probation.

(i) A student who has successfully appealed a dismissal is placed in the Dismissal Option Program.

(j) A student in the Dismissal Option Program returns to good standing at the end of the semester that the API is greater than or equal to 2.00.

(k) A student in the Dismissal Option Program is continued in that program if the API of that semester's work [computed as in (e) (i)] continued over succeeding semesters until 124 credits are completed would result in an API of at least 2.00. Otherwise the student is dismissed.

FOR THE INFORMATION OF THE SENATE

!. /\t the request of the Assembly of the College of Arts and Sciences, the Steering Committee has added the name of Richard Merrick, student number 112056, to the August, 1975, graduation list.

2. At the request of the Academic Standing and Honors Committee, the Steering Committee has approved Stephen M. Renon, student number 159357,  who graduated June, 1975, for University Honors cum laude.
Office of the Provost/J
11/5/75


*Freshmen, Sophmores, Juniors, Seniors, Post Baccalaureates and Second Degree Candidates