Governance Handbook > Part 3: Academic > 3.2 Committees > 3.2.13 Academic Standards Committee

3.2.13 Academic Standards Committee

(Bylaws)

1. The Academic Standards Committee is responsible to the University Senate.

2. The committee consists of the Vice President for Academic Administration or the vice president's designee, chair; the Registrar, or designee; the Director of Academic Advisement; and three teaching faculty, one from each of the following academic areas: humanities, sciences-mathematics-engineering, and professional-technical, elected by the faculty.

3. The term of membership is five years.

4. The work of the committee is to

   1. Review and recommend changes in academic policies and standards

   2. Advise the Vice President for Academic Administration on the administration of academic policies

   3. Consider and act on student petitions in such academic matters as exceptions to published academic rules, advanced credit by examination, application of credits by transfer or earned by correspondence toward graduation, academic probation, out-of-schedule examination requests, irregular class entrance, and withdrawals

5. The committee meets when called by the chair, usually once a week.

(Procedures)

1. Protocol

   1. The chair develops the agenda in consultation with the Associate Vice President of Academic Administration and the secretary of the committee.

   2. Actions are taken by vote.

   3. Committee workload (average in clock hours per quarter):

      i. Chair: 40 hrs.

      ii. Members: 20 hrs.

   4. The committee

      i. Considers only petitions for which the students secure the signatures of their advisers and the recommendations of the appropriate departments

      ii. Acts upon petitions within one week except during vacation periods

      iii. Reviews overloads and out-of-schedule exams in the following manner: routine cases are handled by the Associate Vice President of Academic Administration based on guidelines set by the committee; exceptional cases are decided in consultation with the chair and the secretary of the committee

      iv. Recommends changes in academic policy to the Curriculum Committee and the University Senate

      v. Processes routinely, by means of a subcommittee consisting of the Assoc. Vice President for Academic Administration, the secretary of the committee, and the chair, cases in which clear policies or precedents are established

      vi. Acts in full committee on all appeals to denied petitions. Appeals must be based on additional evidence.

2. Communication

   1. Copies of the minutes are kept by the chair and secretary of the committee and sent to members.

   2. Under the direction of the chair, the secretary communicates actions on petitions within two days following committee action.

   3. The chair communicates policy recommendations to other committees.

   4. The Associate Vice President of Academic Administration, the secretary of the committee, or the chair communicates with the student or faculty members in order to clarify a petition.

   5. Confidentiality on student records is maintained, consistent with current legal requirements.

   6. A summary of actions is sent to Curriculum Committee once a quarter.

3. Documentation

   1. Rationale for actions is based on policies voted by the faculty, on precedent, and on the merits of the individual case and is recorded in the minutes. Ambiguity in policy statements and improper advisement will be taken into consideration.

   2. A permanent file of actions is kept by the committee and sent to the Central File. Petitions and related documents are kept in the Records office.