Oakland University Senate
Fifth Meeting
Thursday, January 14, 1982
3:10 p.m.
AGENDA
Respectfully submitted by Keith R. Kleckner for the Steering Committee.
A. Old Business:
1. Motion from the Steering Committee to dissolve the Performing Arts Faculty Council (Messrs. Dawson and Hetenyi). Item B.I. from the agenda of December 10, 1981.
MOVED that the University Senate recommend to the President and the Board that the Performing Arts Faculty Council be dissolved, with thanks to those persons who have served on that body during the formative stage of the School of Performing Arts.
Second Reading: Debatable, amendable, and eligible for final vote at this meeting.
2. Motion from the Academic Standing and Honors Committee to extend the withdrawal period (Mr. Miller and Ms. Briggs-Bunting). Item B.4. from the agenda of December 10, 1981.
a. MAIN MOTION
MOVED that the period of granting the W grade will be extended to 9 weeks in fall and winter semesters and 5 weeks in spring and summer sessions.
b. AMENDMENT (Messrs. Appleton and Gerulaitis)
Add the sentence, "During the first semester of enrollment at Oakland University, undergraduate students may be granted a W grade until one week prior to the beginning of the final examination period."
Second Reading: Debatable, amendable, and eligible for final vote at this meeting.
3. Motion from the Academic Standing and Honors Committee to eliminate the N grade (Messrs. Miller and Chipman). Item B.3. from the agenda of December 10, 1981.
a. MAIN MOTION
MOVED that the following changes be made with regard to the N grade:
1. The N, W/S and W/N grades will be eliminated from the undergraduate grading system. A numeric grade of 0.0 will be added to the undergraduate grading system.
2. The S/N grade (Pass/Fail) will be designated by the letters S/U (Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory). No numeric equivalent will be attached to either grade.
3. A numeric grade in the range of 0.1 to 0.9 will be added to the undergraduate grading system.
4. The ,1 grade, if not completed by the end of the prescribed time of the term in which a student registers, or P grade, if not changed within 2 years of its assignment, shall be changed to a numeric grade of 0.0.
5. Undergraduate students who enroll at Oakland University for the first time after the implementation of the legislation shall have their academic standing determined solely by their Grade Point Average (GPA).
b. AMENDMENT (Messrs. Akers and Arnold)
Delete part 3 of the motion, which introduces grades in the range of 0.1 - 0.9.
c. SUBSTITUTE MOTION (Messrs. Gerulaitis and Hetenyi)
MOVED that the entire matter be referred to the appropriate committee with instructions to present for Senate consideration an internally consistent grading system predicated upon the ABCDF scale.
d. SUBSTITUTE MOTION (Mr. Akers for the Steering Committee)
MOVED that the University Committee on Undergraduate Instruction be instructed to develop for Senate consideration on or before April 1, 1982, a grading system for undergraduate students which is:
a. internally consistent,
b. readily understood by all users: faculty, students, and external evaluators, and
c. readily implemented on the University's administrative systems.
In preparing its recommendation, the UCUI should consult broadly with all academic units, the Academic Standing and Honors Committee, the Academic and Career Advising Committee, and relevant administrative officers. The report to the Senate should include discussion of the implications of any proposed new grading system for student retention and dismissal policies.
Comment: The Steering Committee proposes that the second substitute motion be considered and voted upon first. Then, if it fails, the Senate shall follow its parliamentarian's suggestion to perfect both the first substitute motion and the main motion. We shall then vote upon the perfected substitute motion. If it also fails, we shall proceed to vote upon the perfected main motion.
Second Reading: Debatable, amendable, and eligible for final vote at this meeting.
B. New Business:
1. Nomination from the Steering Committee to fill a vacancy on the Research Committee (Ms. Boulos).
Ms. Helen Schwartz to fill the unexpired term (through this academic year) of J. Christopher Maloney, who is on leave.
Procedural Motion: Debatable, amendable, and eligible for final vote at this meeting.
C. Good and Welfare:
Private Resolutions
D. Information Items:
None
E. President's Remarks:
A note regarding the 60 or 70 currently enrolled students whose transcripts begin prior to 1970.
The note title, "HISTORY AND FUNCTION OF THE "N" GRADE AND THE RATIONALE FOR ITS ELIMINATION" accompanying the Senate agenda for the 4th meeting, 12-10-81, is incorrect. On page 2 the first paragraph should read:
The "N" grade was introduced in the mid 1960s as a record- keeping device to distinguish withdrawal prior to the ninth week of the course (or the 4th or 5th week Spring/Summer) from "failure by reason of unacceptable work (then graded 0.0)." The intent of the distinction was to prevent a seemingly unfair deflation of the GPA by courses dropped by the middle of the term. The "N" grade prior to 1970 was very nearly equivalent to the present "W" save that a student who withdrew from the university (i.e. from all courses) could receive Ns in them even after the 9th week. All "N" grades were recorded on the transcript.
Compliments of a friend.