Office of the University Secretary

AGENDA ITEM NO: 11

UNIVERSITY COUNCIL

ACADEMIC PROGRAMS COMMITTEE

FOR INFORMATION ONLY

PRESENTED BY:                  Jim Merriam,  Chair, Academic Programs Committee

DATE OF MEETING:                       January 26, 2006

SUBJECT:                              Items for Information:

                                                            1.  Description of the “W” (Withdrawal) in the Calendar

            2.  Curricular changes:

MA in English (Project Option)

Additional credit units and related changes in Engineering programs

Change in program name to Operations Management major

                                                            3.  Academic Schedule for 2006-07

COUNCIL ACTION: For information only

The Academic Programs Committee is reporting to Council on the following items:

1.   Description of the “W” (Withdrawal) in the Calendar

During discussion at the June, 2005 Council meeting regarding examination regulations, the question was raised about whether it was accurate to describe the “W” (Withdrawal) grading alternative as having no effect on a student’s academic standing.

Academic Program Committee members discussed this issue over several meetings.  A survey of policies at 33 other universities was also undertaken by Student and Enrolment Services to determine what policies are followed by other universities regarding students who withdraw from classes later than the usual add/drop deadlines. 

The survey demonstrated that the University of Saskatchewan’s policy to record a “W” grade on a transcript is common practice; only one institution replying to the survey does not record withdrawals, and only seven will delete a class from the student’s transcript when a student drops the class more than two weeks after the beginning of classes.   

Committee members agreed that the University should maintain the Nomenclature Report’s description of the transcript as “the complete and unabridged listing of a student’s educational record [including] the result for each course in which a student was registered past the add/drop deadline.” 

However, it was also noted that though the “W” grade does not have an effect on calculations for student averages, there may well be instances where the “W” could have a negative effect on a student; for example, several “W” grades on a transcript could be viewed negatively by faculty in deciding whether to accept a student for graduate work.  

At its January 6, 2006 meeting, the Committee approved a motion to delete reference to the “W” grade having no effect on a student’s academic standing.  The description of a “W” grade will read as follows:

“Withdrawal is a grading alternative which appears permanently on a student’s transcript as a W, if the student has withdrawn from a class after the last day to add or drop classes without financial penalty.  The W does not affect the calculation of the student’s GPA.”

The Committee was also asked to review the issue of whether a student who do not write the final exam should fail the class.  This issue is still being discussed by the Committee.

2.  Curricular changes:

Council procedures delegate to the Academic Programs Committee the authority to approve several kinds of curricular changes, including new “options” for degree programs, changes in the number of credit units required for a degree, and changes of program names.

Approval of  MA in English Project Option

As part of its review of the proposal to introduce a Project Option into the Masters of Arts in English degree program, the Academic Programs Committee also asked the Budget Committee and the Research, Scholarly and Artistic Work Committee to discuss the impact of “project” masters proposals in terms of scholarship allocations and other issues. 

At its Jan. 6 meeting, the Academic Programs Committee approved the following motion:

That the MA English Project Option be approved on academic grounds, with the recommendation that CGSR needs to look at the issue of the devolved scholarship formula implications for thesis programs in comparison to project programs

The course ENG 992.6 Project was approved as part of the June 21, 2005 Course Challenge.  Proposal documents and related memos are attached

Approval of additional credit units and related changes in Engineering programs.

            At its Jan. 13, 2006 meeting, the Academic Programs Committee approved increases in the credit units required for several Engineering degree programs, so that the basic science content of these programs could be increased.  APC also approved related curricular and prerequisite changes.   Please see the attached material for information about these changes.

Change in program name to Operations Management major.

            The College of Commerce requested approval to change the name of the “roduction Operations Management” major to “Operations Management” major.  

The College informed the Committee that this change was recommended by the SPR reviewers to make the name better understood by students and employers.  The term “production” suggests that the focus of the major is on manufacturing operations. The major is broader than that and has more of a focus on service operations management.  The name “Operations Management” more clearly reflects the content of the courses in the major.           

The Academic Programs Committee approved this change of program name at its Jan. 13, 2006 meeting.

3.     Academic Schedule for 2006-07

The Committee anticipates that it will approve the 2006-07 Academic Schedule at its January 20 meeting and will distribute the schedule to the January 27 Council meeting.

Respectfully submitted,

J. Merriam, Chair