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S.04-71

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SIMON FRASER UNIVERSITY

MEMORANDUM

To:

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Senate

From: ?

Roger Blackman, Chair

Senate Committee on Undergraduate Studies

Subject: ?

Proposed change to the Associate Degrees Admission Policy

(SCUS 04-17)

Date: ?

September 16, 2004

Action undertaken by the Senate Committee on Undergraduate Studies at its meeting of

September 14, 2004 gives rise to the following motion:

Motion

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"that Senate approve the proposed changes to the Associate Degrees Admission

Policy wording from "graduates... from a public BC or Yukon community

college or university college" to "graduates ... from a BC or Yukon community

college or university college recognized by the B.C. Ministry of Advanced

Education" as set forth in S. 04-

71

,in effect as of Spring Semester

2005."

Rationale

Simon Fraser University's admission policy only references public institutions for Associate

Degree transfer credit. Until recently, only public colleges had the authority to grant this

credential but some private colleges are now authorized by the Ministry of Advanced Education.

The proposed change reflects the current reality.

This proposed change is in response to a request from Columbia College. Data collected by

Analytical Studies provides some detail on the experience of Columbia College transfers who

entered the University from 1998/99 and 1999/2000. Of the 79 students admitted during this

period from Columbia, 74.7% have graduated and demonstrate one of the highest degree

completion rates. And, of those who entered with

55

transfer credit hours or greater, the degree

completion rate is 91.7%.

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COLUMBIA COLLEGE

established 1936

Mr. W.R. Heath,

Dean of Student Services and Registrar,

3000 level, Maggie Benston Centre,

Simon Fraser University,

8888 University Drive,

Burnaby, B.C. ?

V5A 1S6

500-555 Seymour Street

Vancouver, BC

Canada V613 619

Telephone: (604) 683-8360

FAX: (604) 682-7191

Email: admin@columbiacollege.bc.ca

27th August, 2004

SCUSO4-17

S

Dear Mr. Heath:

As you probably know, Columbia College has applied to the Degree Quality Assessment

Board for permission to award Associate Degrees (of both Arts and Science). The DQAB

has approved Columbia's request and has so advised the Minister of Advanced

Education; we are hopeful that the Minister will sign the necessary papers and formally

grant his consent before the end of August.

Given that significant numbers of Columbia College students transfer to Simon Fraser

University, we would like to know how Simon Fraser University plans to treat a student

applying to SFU on the strength of a Columbia College Associate Degree. I ask because

the BCCAT website, in discussing SFU's policies with regard to Associate Degrees,

states that "graduates..... from a public BC or Yukon community college or university

college will be offered priority admission". Columbia College is, of course, a private

rather than a public institution, and we are wondering whether the same policy will be

applied to Columbia College. I appreciate that in the past only public colleges (in BC and

the Yukon) were authorized to award Associate Degrees and that this wording might

simply reflect an older reality; it might, however, reflect a policy decision made by SFU,

and if this is the case this would be of considerable concern to us.

I would be most grateful if you could clarify SFU's position on this matter. For

international colleges the Fall is a busy recruiting season, and I would like to be able to

clarify this issue for our recruiters before they set out on their scheduled promotional trips

Yours truly,

COLUMB

revor Toone

Principal

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