AVÀÇÂÛ̳

The UAF Faculty Senate passed the following at its Meeting #136 on April 3, 2006:

MOTION:
=======

The UAF Faculty Senate endorses the Enrollment Management Task Force�s recommendation that the requirements for admission to UAF�s baccalaureate program be raised to:

3.0 cumulative high school GPA or
2.5 cumulative high school GPA and ACT Composite score ≥ 18.  An equivalent combined SAT score can be substituted for the ACT Composite score requirement. 

We further endorse the recommendation that financial support for academic resources to assist Baccalaureate Intended (BI) students at UAF be significantly increased prior to implementation.

EFFECTIVE:               Fall 2007

RATIONALE:             By accepting a student into a baccalaureate program UAF is essentially saying to the student: "you're ready to start this program".  At one time an AVÀÇÂÛ̳n high school student with a C (2.0) average was in fact ready for UAF. Today, however, an AVÀÇÂÛ̳n high school student with an overall GPA of 2.0 is simply not ready.  Either the student hasn't learned enough of the subject matter taught or hasn't displayed the study skills necessary to complete assignments successfully.  By raising the requirements for admission to the baccalaureate program we are more realistically specifying the level of academic background that we expect incoming students to have before beginning baccalaureate courses at UAF and to succeed in those courses.  For those students who do not meet these admission criteria, we'd be sending the message: 'based on your previous level of academic accomplishments, you're not yet ready and we want to help you get ready."  Our intention would be to identify such 'at risk' students and give them a chance to 'get up to speed' in terms of whatever they need--be it academic background or study/academic work habits.

****

The UAF Faculty Senate passed the following at its Meeting #136 on April 3, 2006:

MOTION:
=======

Every five years, to correspond to the UAF accreditation schedule (i.e., 2000, 2005, 2010, etc.), the Provost will request that the Registrar provide a list of courses that have not been taught in the preceding five years.  That list will be submitted to the Deans with the following instructions

1. The Dean reviews the lists carefully and identifies courses no longer offered that will be deleted from the catalog and from the Banner system.  The regular Faculty Senate process for deleting courses must be followed.  To simplify the process one form per subject area may be used, with a list of the courses that are to be deleted attached.
2. If the Dean requests it by the given deadline, the course will be retained in the Banner system, but deleted from the catalog.
3. If the Dean sends a substantive justification and a request to retain the course in the Catalog to the Provost by the given deadline, and the request is approved, the course will continue to be published in the catalog.

   EFFECTIVE:              Fall 2006

RATIONALE:            There are nearly 300 courses still active in Banner (and about 200 still listed in the catalog) that have not been offered for five years.  We need to give students (and prospective students) a realistic view of our course offerings.   Given that none of these courses has been taught for five years, it is very unlikely that any of them is needed by a student to complete degree requirements.

 

**

The UAF Faculty Senate passed the following at its Meeting #136 on April 3, 2006:

MOTION REFERRED BACK TO COMMITTEE:
====================================

The UAF Faculty Senate moves to include the following clarification on course stacking to be added to current regulations:

�With the exception of 400/600, stacked courses must be of adjacent levels (e.g. 200/300).  Other stacked combinations (e.g., 100/600) are not allowed under any circumstances."

EFFECTIVE:              Immediately

RATIONALE:            Although never explicitly stated, the stacked course concept was intended for 400/600 courses.   Stacking could be applied to other combinations, but some, e.g., 100/600, are clearly not appropriate for such.  These other stacked combinations have occurred recently for several summer courses and have been proposed for regular semester courses.  This change is to clarify that some course stackings are simply not acceptable.

 

**

The UAF Faculty Senate passed the following at its Meeting #136 on April 3, 2006:

MOTION:
=======

The UAF Faculty Senate moves to amend walk through requirements for graduate students as follows:

[[   ]]  -  Deletion
CAPS - Addition

Graduation "Walk-Through" Policy

To meet the definition of having "essentially completed all degree requirements" (current policy) to "walk through" graduation ceremonies, a student must have met the following requirements:

a.         successfully completed all required tests, course work and thesis/project defense; and

b.         submitted to the Graduate School by the date set for filing a thesis/dissertation in Spring Semester, a memorandum signed by the student and the major advisor certifying that any required revisions to the project/thesis/dissertation can be completed by july 31 of the same year.  FOR A THESIS/DISSERTATION, THE STUDENT MUST MAKE A COMMITMENT TO SUBMIT THE FINAL COPY TO THE GRADUATE SCHOOL BY JULY 31 OF THE SAME YEAR. [[the student is essentially completed the graduate degree, and that all required signatures will be obtained and the thesis, project or dissertation filed by the last day of instruction.]]  If the student is a Ph.D. candidate, the major advisor or designated committee member must also agree to participate in the graduation ceremonies; and

c.         [[filed a copy of the required project/thesis/dissertation with the Graduate School with all required signatures, by the last day of instruction in Spring Semester; and

d.]]      for Ph.D. candidates, filed a ≤ 50 word abstract of the dissertation research along with the signed [[dissertation]] MEMORANDUM. 

NOTE:  Individuals who "walk through" graduation ceremonies will NOT be listed in the graduation program.  These students� names, and if Ph.D. recipients, descriptions of dissertation research, will appear in the program of the academic year in which the Degree is formally granted. 

EFFECTIVE:              Immediately

RATIONALE:             Because students currently can participate in commencement only in May, and most relocate soon after completing their graduate degrees, the present policy is overly stringent.  On the other hand, GAAC feels that passing the important milestone of the project/thesis/dissertation defense is a necessary condition.  Further, this should be limited to cases in which the project/thesis/dissertation requires only minor or moderate revision, which can be accomplished in time for summer graduation.

**

The UAF Faculty Senate passed the following at its Meeting #136 on April 3, 2006:

RESOLUTION:
===========

BE IT RESOLVED, That the UAF Faculty Senate ratifies the election of Jon Genetti as President-Elect of the UAF Faculty Senate for 2006-2007 by affirmation.