 |
|
|
| 
|
 “First, I wonder what 'on time' means? Students are all different and have different financial situations and personal situations which influence how quickly they complete their college degrees. I would wonder at a major department which would deny entry to a student because that student took an extra semester or year longer than the model graduation plan shows. I think most departments are happy to have the majors who come to them having fulfilled the necessary requirements, i.e., number of courses and grade point average.If entry is up to me, length of time to complete the necessary prerequisites and attain the necessary gpa would be not so high on my criteria list. Students who finally mature, find their desired majors, find motivation, attain good study habits and time management skills have me on their side any time. I would never stand in the way of a student who has finally achieved the appropriate skills and maturity just because it took that student longer than others to get there.” ~ Carol Gilster, Saint Louis University, June 6 “I'm going to respond by not responding (almost) to the specific questions. Attempts to resolve ethical dilemmas often result in this approach, on the grounds that more information is needed. In this case, I feel this way.First, what does 'on time' mean? Is this a calendar deadline to file an application, a certain credit level attainment, completing pre-requisite courses, the length of time at the institution, a minimum GPA, etc.? Actually, I would argue that using any such criterion will always be developmentally inappropriate for some students, but that's another issue. However, I would also like information such as: what is the norm here? Do many students fail to meet the criterion? Do most appeal? Are most appeals granted? Is the financial aid directly related only to this major? What is the potential for the student to complete the major (my own judgment, obviously)? These are all factors that could affect my decision. However, in a brief attempt to answer the questions posed (given what I know...and don't know), I would likely grant the requests, but with conditions for each student articulated in a written agreement. For example, the lazy student will have to demonstrate progress in overcoming that deficiency by showing work to me every other week in a scheduled appointment session. The other student will be required to produce some documentation – to me or to a third party (Health Service, Counseling, Financial Aid, Campus Security, Disabilities Office, Housing, etc.) – that substantiates justification for the extension. Hopefully, my actions will enable the students to progress, both in the major and in life.” ~ Tom Grites, Richard Stockton College of New Jersey, June 6 “At SIUE we have a University policy that sets a 60-earned-hour limit on undeclared status. So the above situation could easily occur. When a student reaches the 60-earned-hour limit and is still undeclared, he or she must enter into a contract with an academic adviser that outlines specific steps to be taken toward major declaration. We have found that very few students need to enter into a contract. Nearly all students, in our experience, who have 60 hours or more are working to meet declaration eligibility requirements. Most often at this point it's a GPA problem. It's rare, we have found, for students to be 'just drifting' when they are that far (60 earned hours) into a college career. But of course it does happen.To get to the point, though, if I assume that both of the students in question have been given a sort of probationary semester – which would involve a contact for us at SIUE – then I see little difference in making a decision about each one. The point is, both students knew the policy, and both students disregarded it. On the basis of the policy, I would deny both of them the opportunity to continue. If we're concerned about student development, then don't we have to let actions and behaviors and decisions have consequences? If we insulate students from the consequences of their decisions, where's the development? After all, we're not saying to the students that your college career is over. They can choose to go elsewhere or they can choose to return to the institution in question after a mandatory period away. At least that's the way it would work here. The real question here, it seems to me, is whether an institution should have such a policy. You can argue that it should not. But if the policy exists, it makes no sense to ignore it. Either enforce the policy, because you believe that it ultimately brings about positive results – that would be the only reason to have a policy – or get rid of the policy.” ~ William G. Hendey, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, June 17 “I don't think the question is about whether the student '[takes] an extra semester or year longer than the model graduation plan shows,' as Carol Gilster wrote. I think the underlying question has to do with the students' readiness to commit to a major program, and their ability to make a reasonable plan to complete their requirements.Perhaps the students in question have not satisfied the requirements for entrance to the major, but have completed other required major courses – and so if granted this extension they will still be able to graduate on time? In this case, an extension seems reasonable. On the other hand ... sometimes an undeclared senior with 30 upper division units in English, for example, decides she wants to major in Theater although she has only taken one course in Theater. For a student at a university with a unit cap, this is a real problem. A student cannot just go on accumulating units – but if she has a plan that will get her through without bumping that unit ceiling, then I don't think an extra undeclared semester would be too much of a problem.” ~ Frances Northcutt, UC Berkeley, June 17 The Mentor is published by Penn State's Division of Undergraduate Studies Available online at www.psu.edu/dus/mentor/ Privacy and Legal Statements | Copyright | © The Pennsylvania State University | All rights reserved | |
