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S.08-55

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OFFICE OF THE

ASSOCIATE VICE PRESIDENT ACADEMIC AND ASSOCIATE PROVOST

MEMO

ATTENTI

Senate

FROM ?

Bitt Krane, Chair

Senate Committee on Undergraduate Studies

SIMPLIFICATION

SC US 07-64)

OF PROCESS FOR DETERMINING FAN X99 REQUIREMENT

DATE ?

March 17, 2008

For information:

Action undertaken by the Senate Committee on Undergraduate Studies at its

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meeting of March 4, 2008, gives rise to the following revision of administrative

business process in Admissions:

To simplify the process by which the requirement for incoming high

school students to take FAN X99 is determined, as outlined on the

attached document.

SIM(.)N FRASER UNIVERSITY

THINKING OF THE WORLD

SCUS 07-64

UNIVERSITY CURRICULUM & INSTITUTIONAL LIAISON 

OFFICE OF THE VICE PRESIDENT ACADEMIC AND PROVOST 

MEMO 

FROM SARAH DENCH, Director, University Curriculum and

CANADA ?

Institutional Liaison

RE Simplification of process for determining FAN requirement

cc. T. Archibald, M. Dubiel, J. Gra

DATE February 27, 2008

The Department of Mathematics and the UCIL office propose a simplification

of the process by which the requirement for incoming high school students to

take FAN X99 is determined.

The proposed change would move the determination of the FAN course

requirement to an earlier point in the admissions process, make the

determination of the requirement more straightforward, improve the learning

environment in FAN X99, and allow for clear and early communications with

prospective students.

The proposal ties the determination of the FAN X99 course requirement to an

examination of grades achieved in Math 11, without disturbing the university

requirements of Math 11 or Math 12 for admission to specific Faculties and

programs. Grades achieved in high school Math 11 have been shown to be

strong predictors of subsequent achievement in Math 12, and in the proposed

changes there are also clear options for gaining FAN equivalency at the Grade

12 level should students fail to meet the Math 11 threshold.

In addition to the pedagogical improvements, the proposal seems an

appropriate fit with other, recent initiatives to simplify admissions processes

for new students, and the changes will make the determination of the FAN X99

course requirement more fair and transparent for students and advisors.

Based on an ithIifiof ädiniiñdãtã undeffAen in Student Enrollment;--

this process change would not significantly change the numbers of new

students required to register in FAN X99. The related changes in SIMS and to

Admissions business processes could be implemented easily and in a cost-

effective way.

Streamlining the Quantitative Admissions Requirement

. . .

and FAN Exemption

Proposal:

The SFU Mathematics Department and the office of University Curriculum & Institutional

Liaison,.are proposing that Principles of Math 11 be used as the filter by which the FAN

X99 exemption is determined (achievement of 70% or higher in Math 11). A second-

stage option for students would then be performance in Principles of Math 12 if that

grade is higher than the grade received in Math 11.

Issues with the current requirement:

The current quantitative requirement stipulates that applicants from high school must

have a minimum of 60% in the math course required by their Faculty (Principles of Math

11 - Arts; Principles of Math 12 - all other Faculties). Students who achieve between

60% and 69% must either register in FAN X99 or write the 0 readiness test.

A significant consequence of the two-tiered Math requirement has been that FAN X99

has a very mixed student population—students with Principles of Math 11 only, students

with Principles of Math 12, and students with Applications of Math 12. These students

•

are not working at the same level, which provides challenges for effective FAN

curriculum design and delivery, and is less effective for student learning.

The Mathematics Department is encountering administrative and systems obstacles

when trying to appropriately stream students into FAN X99, MATH 100, and Calculus

courses because of the differing math requirements. Students are also receiving

confusing advising from non-Math advisors who are unclear about the differences

between FAN X99 requirements and other Math requirements. Advisors often believe

that an appropriate grade in FAN X99 (minimum C grade) alone permits students to

Students in Faculties that require Principles of Math 12 are required to complete SFU

Calculus courses; FAN X99 is not designed as a Calculus readiness course.

Mathematics has recently revised the prerequisites for MATH 100 (Precalculus) to

include a minimum grade of B- in FAN X99 to ensure better performance in MATH 100.

Rationale for changing the requirement:

Mathematics has taken time to look at the quantitative skills students bring or lack, and

believe it would make more sense to attach FAN exemption to Principles of Math 11:

The p[Qpgsed

QhangQ_simiDlifies thesY stemby which students are filtered into

FAN X99;

• Math 11 final grades are available well prior to registration, unlike Math 12 interim

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or final grades, which are held up by provincial exam marks;

• A strong correlation exists between performance in Math 11 and subsequent

performance in Math 12;

• Consistency is created by way of a single type of high school Math admissions

requirement, as is the case with the high school English admissions requirement.

Attaching the FAN exemption or requirement to the Math 11 grade does not

replace the Math 12 requirement for those Faculties that require it;

• Students with Math 11 grades sufficient for a FAN exemption but with Math 12

grades below the grade required by their program will be able to register in Math

100, which is a more appropriate fit than FAN and which is the prerequisite for

follow-up Calculus courses;

• Math believes the department will be better able to stream students, provide

appropriate diagnostic testing, and advising will be simplified.

Schematic of Proposal:

[Principles of Math 11

>=70% -* FAN exemption

i-f.