S.99-2
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SIMON FRASER UNIVERSITY
OFFICE OF THE VICE-PRESIDENT, ACADEMIC
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MEMORANDUM
To: ?
Senate
From: ?
D. Gagan, Chair
Senate Committee on Academic Planning
Subject: ?
Changes to Registration Priority Rules
(SCUS Reference: SCUS 98— 27)
(SCAP Reference: SCAP 99-4)
Date:
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February 11, 1999
Action undertaken by the Senate Committee on Undergraduate Studies and the
Senate Committee on Academic Planning gives rise to the following motion:
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Motion:
"that Senate approve, as set forth in S.99 -25, the following
change to the Registration Priority Rules:
Students attempting to register for a course for the first time
shall be given the opportunity to register prior to any students
who are presently registered in the course or who previously
passed the course with a C- or better."
This regulation will take effect for the 99-3 semester preregistration process.
SCAF 99-4
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SIMON FRASER UNIVERSITY
MEMORANDUM
To: ?
Senate Committee on Academic Planning
From: ?
A. MacKinnon, Chair
Senate Committee on Undergraduate Studies
Subject: ?
Changes to Registration Priority Rules
(SCUS reference: SCUS 98-27)
Date: ?
January 26, 1999
Motion:
"That SCAP approve and recommend to Senate, the following
change to the Registration Priority Rules:
Students attempting a course for the first time shall be
given the opportunity to register prior to any students
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who are presently registered in the course or who have
passed the course with a C- or better."
Rationale
Large numbers of course spaces in high-demand courses are often taken up by
students duplicating the course. In a 1996 report on course duplications by the
Office of Analytical Studies, there were 25 courses spread over 7 departments in
which the number of spaces taken up by course duplicators was 10% or higher.
Students attempting such courses for the first time are often turned away.
Many course spaces are in fact taken up by students who have passed the course
with a C- or better (26% of
all
duplication attempts). Another 15% are taken by
students who chose not to complete the initial attempt (N grade). Because it is
possible to register for a second attempt at a course even while taking it the first
time, students who anticipate a low grade may do so and then leave the course
incomplete with the expectation of getting a higher grade next term. Only 27% of
course duplications are due to failure (F grade) in the initial attempt, while 31% are
for students who have passed the course with a D grade.
The proposal introduces registration priority rules for course duplication versus
new course attempts based on relative need. In general, a student currently
registered in a course has a chance to pass it, even if they are anticipating a poor
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grade: Therefore such a student has less relative need to register for that course in
the next semester than a student attempting to take it for the first time. Similarly, a
student who has not taken a course has a greater need to take it than one who has
passed it with a C- or better. Although a C- may sometimes be inadequate for
prerequisite purposes, waivers based on supplementary preparation are often
available. In the event of a student who has previously obtained a D or F in the
course, the issue of relative need in comparison to new course attempts is somewhat
less clear. Registration priority decisions may be best left to the existing framework
in such cases.
This proposal is the result of an extensive consultation process with students that
has been conducted by the Senate Committee on Undergraduate Studies on
proposed course duplication rules. Although the initial proposal contained changes
to the rules for GPA calculation in light of course duplications, those changes have
been tabled for further study because of their controversial nature. The proposed
changes with respect to registration priority had considerable student support,
particularly in the modified form that maintains the current framework for students
that have obtained a D or F in the first course attempt.
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