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S. H-31

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From: N. Heath, Secretary

Senate Undergraduate

Admissions Board

To: Senate

SIMON FRASER UNIVERSITY

nI I!4I

Subject: Proposed revisions to Academic

Date: 1988 10 20

Standing Regulations SUAB 1 84(revised)

Action undertaken by the Senate Undergraduate Admissions Board at

its meetings of June

22 and September 22

1988, gives rise to the

following motion:

MOTION:

"Senate approve the changes described in

document SUAB 184 (revised), namely.

elimination

the standing 'On Academic

Warning' and its replacement by the standing 'On

Academic Probation' ; and

appeals for readmission by students who had e-i

been withdrawn for academic reasons (Required to

hôfa.pp-o&.ec(

WWdraw-1)—wou

ld—no*ina4l-y be cons

idered—o-n1y

fo"—the—S-ummer,

semester; and

c)requests for transfer credit for students who

had been withdrawn for academic reasons will be

reviewed only after a student has been readmitted

and will will be granted, subject to the approval

the student's major department or faculty, enly

the gradeg.

achievecL

at the transferring institution

are we

U—ab

2..?

44g.e and the course content

does not overlap with credit previously earned; and

d) that these changes be shown in the

forthcoming Calendar for implementation in Fall

semester 1989."

SUAB requests that Senate give consideration to the above

motion. A

rationale statement and a proposed revision to the University

Calendar are attached.

SIMON FRASER UNIVERSITY?

Subject: Rationale for SUAB 184(revised)

Date: 1988 10 20

General Background

Enrolment limits were approved by Senate this year in response to

continuing growth in demand for course spaces and other

instructional and support services at the University, affecting almost

every member of the university community. Resulting from these

measures, some 800 applicants who, in previous years, would have

been admitted, were denied access to our institution. This pattern is

likely to recur in future semesters.

As we deny access to many

potential students, there is growing concern that some of our

weakest students are being allowed to register and that former

students who have shown poor levels of performance are permitted

to return to the University with few restrictions. SUAB recognizes

that each of these students attends at the expense of a potential new

student who has not been granted an opportunity to show that

he/she can succeed in university studies.

Continuance

SUAB considered the requirement that all students must maintain a

minimum 2.00 cgpa. For reasons of symmetry with graduation

requirements

SUAB voted unanimously to propose no change to

this requirement, noting that it was consistent with continuance

requirements of other major universities.

SUAB noted that some students who enter the

university with little or no transfer credit may attend full-time for

three semesters in spite of achieving semester gpas of below 2.00 in

each semester. A typical example would be a student admitted from

BC grade 12 to Fall semester 1988, who achieves semester gpas and

cgpas of below 2.00 in his/her first two semesters, i.e. Fall 88 and

Spring 89. At the end of the Spring semester, the student is placed

on Academic Probation but is eligible to register for a subsequent

semester, which could be Fall semester 1989. If this student's

performance does not improve, she/he will be Required to Withdraw

at the end of the Fall semester. The timing of this action, in the

• ?

middle of the traditional academic year and at the time of the

Christmas break, is usually very disruptive and leaves the student

with few opportunities for employment or attending other

institutions.

Many major universities conduct an evaluation of new students at

the end of their first academic year (approx.30 credits). Although

Simon Fraser students who are performing at very poor levels of

performance (i.e. cgpa below 1.00) are required to withdraw after

only two semesters regardless of the total credit hours attempted,

many weak students with cgpas in the 1.00 to 1.99 persist for three

or more semesters, until they have attempted at least 27 semester

hours of credit. The usual range of credits attempted by these

students is 27 to

45. ?

It was SUAB's view that this decision point be

moved forward by one semester. This would be both less

problematical for our students and would reduce slightly enrolment

pressure, particularly in Fall semesters.

Readmission

It is likely that limitation of new admissions will remain in effect for

the forseeable future. In this context, it was SUAB's view that

readmission of former students who had been required to withdraw

for academic reasons should also be restricted. Some sentiment was

expressed for these former students to be precluded from returning

while admissible students, who had never had the chance to attend,

were being turned away. SUAB's

decision to readmit students to Fall

and Spring semesters only in exceptional circumstances and to

readmit former students to Summer semester at the discretion of the

Senate Appeals Board, reflects the belief that enrolment pressure is

least in the Summer and that the smaller class sizes which are found

in many Summer courses would be a better learning environment for

students who are striving to improve their performances.

Criteria for Readmission

If readmissions are to be limited, the Senate Appeals Board will be

expected to readmit only those students who have the best prospects

for academic success. Future success is most readily predicted from

previous academic success and for this reason, SUAB decided that the

appropriate advice to give most students who had experienced

academic difficulty was to attend another institution to remedy any

skill deficiencies, to repeat work previously failed at SFU or to

complete further work.

Many students already follow this pattern,

attending colleges or technical institutes if they are withdrawn from

SFU.

An improved academic record from another institution may be

taken also by the SAB as supporting evidence that non-academic

factors, such as financial problems, are no longer affecting a

student's performance. However, in some cases, attendance

elsewhere may be unneccessary, depending on the individual

circumstances of the student. Several other universities (e.g. UBC)

require that students who have been withdrawn complete a full

year of academic work elsewhere before they are considered for

readmission. Normally, they would be expected to repeat work

• from

a failed year. SUAB defers to the Senate Appeals Board the minimum

amount of academic work to be taken elsewhere; previous SAB

recommendations to students have been to apply for readmission

after 12 to 15 semester hours of credit if they have have a gpa of

3.00 or higher at the other institution, or to take up to 30 credits if

their gpa is in the 2.00 to 2.99 range.

Transfer Credit on Readmission

Current procedures require a Dean's prior approval if coursework

taken during the withdrawal period is to be added to a student's

academic record. If no permission has been obtained, credit is

denied. This results in a large number of requests at the start of

each semester, involving the Registrar's Office, the Academic Advice

Centre, deans' offices and academic departments. Much of this work

is unproductive, since the student concerned may never complete the

courses or may never apply for readmission. Approval is generally

granted, provided that the courses are appropriate to the student's

program and subject to obtaining higher than minimum grades,

usually B or

B- (C

is the minimum grade for which transfer credit can

be granted to former students). The request and approval process is

often time-consuming, leaving the student in some doubt as to the

transferability of the course work being taken. The proposed change

will result in less uncertainty for the student, will decrease

administrative activity in the University and might also act as an

additional incentive for students to improve their grades.

Implementation Date

Changes in standing requirements will require adequate notice to

students, via the Calendar and other channels. Also, reasonable time

must be allowed for revising and testing computer programs which

are used to evaluate student records at the end of each semester.

Other changes in the readmission of students and assesment of

transfer credit do not require such lead time.

SIMON FRASER UNIVERSITY

Memorandum

To: SUAB ?

From: N. Heath

Secretary, SUAB

Subject: Proposed revisions

Date: 1988/09/19

Academic Standing regulations. SUAB 184 (revised)

revised 1988 19 20

At the meeting of 22 June 1988, SUAB considered the discussion paper SUAB

181 and approved the following motions:

To make no changes to the basic continuance requirements (i.e. 2.0

cgpa)."

To approve in principle the recommendation that 'On Academic

Warning' be discontinued and replaced with 'On Academic Probation'

The last proposal is described in greater detail and is brought back before

SUAB for further consideration.

SUAB also approved changes to the regulations governing readmission after a

•

period of withdrawal and credit for work taken elsewhere during this period.

These changes are reflected in the regulations given below:

The attached extract from the 1988-89 Calendar sets out the current regulations

governing academic continuance (

pp.

23- 24 paras. 1 - 16).

Para 1.

Transfer students admitted to the University under the "Special

Entry" category with an admission average below 2.00, having

attempted 9 or more semester hours of transfer credit will be

admitted on

Academic Probation.

The regulations covering Continuance, Withdrawal and

Readmission will apply to transfer students immediately upon

their admission to SFU.

Students will be evaluated and placed in a disciplinary

category only after they have been allowed to do a reasonable

amount of academic work. The following schedule applies:

. ?

ACADEMIC PROBATION - will be used only after a student has

received SFU assigned grades for at least 9 semester hours.

REQUIRED TO WITHDRAW -will be used only after a student has

received SFU assigned grades for at least 18 semester hours.

PERMANENT WITHDRAWAL - will be used only after a student

has received SFU assigned grades for at least 27 semester hours.

Para 5.

A student who has a cgpa of less than 1.00 in two consecutive

semesters

will be INELIGIBLE TO RE-REGISTER for one

full calendar year.

Para 6.

A student who has only 'N' or 'F' grades in two consecutive

semesters will be INELIGIBLE TO RE-REGISTER for one full

A student on ACADEMIC PROBATION may not register in a

course overload as specified by the student's faculty.

Para 10.

A student who is REQUIRED TO WITHDRAW, INELIGIBLE TO RE-

must submit an appeal for readmission to the Senate Appeals

Board if he/she wishes to resume studies at S.F.U. She/he may be

readmitted to the summer semester only following an absence

from SFU of at least 12 months (Required to Withdraw/ Ineligible to

Re-register) or 3 years (Permanent Withdrawal).

Readmission is at the discretion of the Senate Appeals Board. In

exceptional circumstances, students may be readmitted to either

Fall or Spring semesters. In general, students who have been

withdrawn involuntarily are advised to attend another institution to

complete further academic work or to repeat academic work taken

previously in order to demonstrate their academic abilities.

Para 11.

Requests for transfer credit for work taken at another post-

secondary institution after a student has been required to

withdraw from SFU will be reviewed only if the student is

subsequently readmitted. Normally, such transfer credit will

only be granted if the grades obtained at the other institution

are well above average (i.e.B- or better) and if the content of

the courses does not overlap with credit obtained earlier.

Amend by removing from first sentence "and is not subject to

ACADEMIC WARNING".

Para 15.

.A student who is REQUIRED TO WITHDRAW may appeal for

readmission to the Summer semester following the end of the 12

month period, and if readmitted, will be placed on ACADEMIC

PROBATION once again, subject to the conditions for ACADEMIC

PROBATION, as described earlier. However, at the end of the

probation period, if both the cgpa and the gpa on assigned grades

are below 2.00, the student will be placed on PERMANENT

WITHDRAWAL and will not be considered for readmission for a

period of at least three calendar years.

Para 16.

A student who is on PERMANENT WITHDRAWAL may appeal for

readmission to the Summer semester at the end of the three year

period, and if the student is readmitted, it will be on ACADEMIC

PROBATION.

If, at the end of the probation period, both the gpa on assigned

grades during the probation period and the cgpa are below 2.00,

the student will again be placed on PERMANENT WITHDRAWAL.

/NH

Example: Fall Semester 1988

Latter

Numerical

Semester

Grade

Value

Hours

Point

4.00-

Course

4.33

2.67

2.00

Semester Grade Point Average

39 ?

2.44

The cumulative grade point average (CGPA) expresses average perfor-

mance for semesters completed and is closed in the semester in which a de-

gree or diploma Is awarded to a student by the Senate. The calculation of a new

CGPA will commence in the semester that a student returns to undertake

further studies following the awarding of a degree or diploma.

The average is computed by dividing the total number of grade points

earned to date by the total number of semester hours undertaken to date, with

the exception of those courses assigned a final grade of P, W, CC, AU, AE or

CR. The CGPA calculated for semesters completed prior to the Fall semester

1979 INCLUDES DUPLICATE COURSES.

DUPLICATE COURSES

repeated in the Fall 1979 or a subsequent

semester, which have been assigned a final grade equal to or lower than the

grade previously assigned, are

EXCLUDED

from the calculation of the CGPA

for the semester in which the course was repeated as well as any subsequent

semester completed. If, on the other hand, a higher grade is achieved in the

course when repeated, the duplicate course(s)with the lower grade(s) will be

excluded from the CGPA for the most recent semester and any subsequent

semesters completed. However, the lower grade is reflected in the CGPA

calculated for each semester up to the semester in which the higher grade was

achieved.

Standing Required for Continuance

All students who enter Simon Fraser University are expected to maintain

acceptable standards of scholarship. Specifically, they are expected to main-

tain a minimum 2.00 CGPA. A student who does not maintain this minimum

CGPA will be considered to be performing less than satisfactorily in his/her

studies. The following procedures will apply for evaluating student perfor-

mance in accordance with the policy governing Continuance, Withdrawal and,

Readmission.

The regulations indicate primarily the effect on a student without transfer

credit, but, particularly at the time of admission to the University, are applied

to obtain reasonable equitability across transfer and non-transfer students.

Transfer students admitted to the university under the Special Entry

category with an admission average below 2.00:

having attempted 17 or fewer semester hours of transfer credit will be ad-

mitted on

ACADEMIC WARNING

having attempted 18 or more 'semester hours of transfer credit will be

admitted on

ACADEMIC PROBATION.

The regulations covering Continuance, Withdrawal and Readmission will

apply to transfer students immediately upon their admission to SFU.

2. Following admission no formal assessment will take place until the student

has completed a minimum of 9 semester hours of assigned grades at

Simon Fraser University.

Academic performance will be evaluated on courses for which Simon

Fraser University grades have been assigned. (Assigned grades will

include grades A+ through to D, F, DE, and N, but will exclude P, W. CH,

AE. CC. and AU).

Students will be evaluated and placed in a disciplinary category only after

they have been allowed to do a reasonable amount of academic work. The

following schedule applies:

For students without transfer credit

ACADEMIC WARNING - will be used only after a student has re-

ceived SFU assigned grades for at least

9 semester hours.

ACADEMIC PROBATION - will be used only after a student has re-

ceived SFU assigned grades for at least

18 semester hours.

General Regulations 23

dunce normally must be received by the Registrar or

department within 96

hours

scheduled final examination or within 96 hours of the last day of

Isxss of the semester for which such standing Is requested. Courses for

which Aegralat standing Is awarded, are not included

the calculation of

- - average.

NOTATIONS OF WD AND WE

The

notations WD and WE are

not grades and do not affect either the

semester grade point average or cumulative grade point average. The nota-

tion WD ldentlfles a coursefreely dropped by the student during weeks 4 and

of a semester.

The notation WE

Identifies

courSe dropped by the student

wider extenuating circumstances normally during week 6 through to the end

of week 12 of a semester. Extenuating circumstances are defined as unusual

circumstances brond the student's control which make It Impossible for the

course to be completed. Different time periods are In effect for Intersession

and Summer Session.

(For more complete details refer to the

Registration

eecdon

CREDIT FOR THE SEMESTER

N credit earned will be granted, regardless of the grade point average for

the semester. Credit may be granted for a specific course once only. Where

a student repeats the same course, the course(s) with the lower grade will be

recorded on official records as

duplicate course. In the event that the same

grade Is earned for a repeated course, the course completed most recently is

recorded on the official records as the duplicate. Repeated courses for which

no grades have yet been assigned (i.e. courses In progress) will be recorded

as duplicates until a final grade is

awarded

which is higher than the grade

previously earned. Duplicate courses remain on the official record, and are

Included In the calculation

the semester grade point average. The CGPA

computed for semesters completed prior to the Fall semester 1979 includes

duplicate courses. Duplicate courses are not included In the grade point

average which Is computed for

graduation purposes.

Reconsideration of Grades

Students who Intend to appeal a course grade are cautioned that failing

grades have

been checked very carefully and barring a clerical error,

appeals seldom result in higher grades.

2. Students who

feel

that there has been an error in arriving at or recording

a grade, should apply for

reconsideration. In writing, to the instructor,

who will advise the Chairman of the Department, who will then notify the

Registrar of the final decision. The Registrar will communicate this

decision to the student. All course grade changes require the approval

and Initial of the Department Chairman before being submitted to the

Registrar.

Course grade changes wi g

be permitted up to, but not beyond the fifth

day of

classes of the semester Immediately following the one in which

the grade Is awarded. In special cases an exception may be granted on

petition by the Chairman of the Department of the course concerned.

Statement of Grades

statement of grades Is mailed to each registered student at the end of the

semester. Official grades will not be released by the Office of the Registrar to

students prior to the mailing time but instructors may release information on

Individual student grades to the students concerned at the end of the

semester. Errors or omissions in the statement of grades will be adjusted and

notifications provided to the student as early as practicable.

Information concerning final grades is not released to unauthorized persons

without written consent of the student.

Grade Point Average

The simastar grade point averag,

is a method of expressing the stu-

dent's average performance for

the semester. Each letter grade, with

the

exception of grades P, W, CC, ALl, AE. and CR,

is assigned a numerical

which Is

than

multiplied by the course semester-hour value as-

to the course to give the grade point. Those grades which have not

been assigned

a numerical equivalent, are not included In the computation of

the grade point average.

A grade point average

points earned by the total number of semester hours un-

deilakenin the

semester, with the exception of those semester hours assigned

to courses with a final grade of P. W. CC. AU, AE. or CR.

24 General Regulation.

PROBATION.

A student (excluding a 'Special Entry' as described above) who has

been awarded fewer than 9 hours of tranfer credit, and who

has re-

ceived assigned grades for at least 9, but fewer than 18SFU semester

hours, and who has a CGPA of less than 2.00, will be placed on

ACADEMIC WARNING provided that the total semester

h_DMAM

granted on transfer, together with hours for Simon Fraser University

assigned grades Is less than 18. If the total Is 18 or more, the student

will be placed on ACADEMIC PROBATION. The conditions noted

under 1. above apply to the warning period.

For*Special Entry admitted under ACADEMIC WARNING, see

above. The conditions noted under 1, above apply to the warning

period.

REQUIRED TO WITHDRAW - will be used only after a student has

PERMANENT WITHDRAWAL— will be used only after a student has

received SFU assigned grades for at

least 36 semester hours.

For students with transfer credit

On admission see item 1. under

standing required for continuance. -

Following completion of at least 9 semester hours of SFU assigned

grades, when the total awarded through transfer credit, or through

transfer credit and assigned grades, or through SFIJ assigned

grades

a) is 18 hours or more, the student may be placed on ACA-

DEMIC PROBATION ?

• b) is 27 hours or more, the student may be placed on ACA-

DEMIC PROBATION or REQUIRED TO WITHDRAW, as

applicable

is 36 hours or more, the student may be placed on ACA-

DEMIC PROBATION or REQUIRED TO WITHDRAW or

PERMANENT WITHDRAWAL, as applicable.

S. Students who have a cumulative grade point average of less than 1.0

on two consecutive semesters will be ineligible to re-register for one full

calendar year.

Students who have Only N or

grades in two consecutive semesters

will be required to apply for readmission to the University; the ap-

plication is reviewed by the Senate Undergraduate Admissions Board

before readmission is considered.

Students who withdraw from all courses in three consecutive semes-

ters will be ineligible to reregister for one full calendar year.

S. Students whose grade point average for the semester falls below 2.00

will be placed on ACADEMIC ALERT and will be advised to seek coun-

selling at the Academic Advice Centre.

A student on ACADEMIC WARNING or on ACADEMIC PROBATION

may not register in a course load which exceeds that permitted by fac-

ulty regulations, although there is no minimum number of course hours

required.

10.

Students placed on REQUIRED TO WITHDRAW status may not

PERMANENT WITHDRAWAL may not appeal for readmission until

three full calendar years have expired.

11.

Normally, no transfer credit will be granted for work undertaken at

another post-secondary institution while absent from Simon Fraser

Universilty during the twelve month period for REQUIRED TO WITH-

DRAW status, or the three year period for PERMANENT WITH-

DRAWAL status. Transfer credit may be allowed if the student has

received the express prior approval of the Chairman of his/her major

department and the Dean of the Faculty. Requests for authorization to

transfer credit from another institution should be addressed to the

Office of the Registrar.

12.

The duplicate course policy allows for the exclusion of the lower grade

of a duplicated (repeated) course in the calculation of the cumulative

grade point average for the semester in which the course is repeated

and for subsequent semesters. This policy does not apply to records

where the degree or diploma has already been granted. Reference is

made to the policy on Limitation on Duplication of Courses (see the

Registration

section).

14. Academic Probation - Terms and Conditions

A student who has received assigned grades for at least 9 Simon Fraser

University semester hours and is not subject to ACADEMIC WARNING, will

be placed on ACADEMIC PROBATION if the CGPA is less than 2.00.

During the probation period, the student must complete a minimum of 9

Simon Fraser University semester hours of assigned grades before re-

assessment will occur. A student on ACADEMIC PROBATION may not repeat

a course for which a grade of C, or higher, has been assigned.

If at the end of the probation period,

the grade point average on assigned grades during the probation

period and the CGPA are 2.00 or higher, the student will be con-

sidered to be in good academic standing.

the grade point average on assigned grades during the probation

period is 2.00, or higher, but the CGPA is less than 2.00, the stu-

dent will continue, on ACADEMIC PROBATION.

the grade point average on assigned grades during the probation

period is less than 2.00, but the CGPA is 2.00, or higher, the student

will continue on ACADEMIC PROBATION. (This could apply to

students repeating courses during the probation period.)

both the grade point average on assigned grades during the pro-

bation period and the CGPA are less than 2.00, the student will be

REQUIRED TO WITHDRAW from the University for twelve (12)

calendar months.

15.

Required to WIthdraw - Terms and Conditions

A student who is REQUIRED TO WITHDRAW may appeal for readmis-

sion at the end of the twelve month period, and If readmitted, will be

placed on ACADEMIC PROBATION once again, subject to

the

condi-

tions for ACADEMIC PROBATION, as described earlier.

However, at the end of the probation period, If both the CGPA and the:

grade point average on assigned grades during the probation period

are below 2.00, the student will be placed on PERMANENT WITH-

DRAWAL and will not be considered for readmission for a period of

three calendar years.

16.

Permanent Withdrawal - Terms and Conditions

A student who is on PERMANENT WITHDRAWAL may appeal for

readmission at the end of the three year period. If, at the end of three

years, the student is readmitted. It will be on ACADEMIC PROBATION.

If, at the end of the probation period, both the grade point average on

assigned grades and the CGPA during the probation period are below

2.00, the student will again be

aced on PERMANENT WITH-

DRAWAL.

GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS

13. Academic Warning - Terms and Conditions

1) A student who has not attempted transfer credit who has received

grades for at least 9, but fewer than 18 SFU semester hours of

assigned grades and has a CGPA of less than 2.00 will be placed on

ACADEMIC WARNING.

During the warning period, the student must complete a minimum of

9 Simon Fraser University semester hours of assigned grades before

reassessment will occur. A student on ACADEMIC WARNING may

not repeat a course for which a grade of C. or higher, has been

assigned. If, at the end of the warning period, the CGPA is 2.00, or

higher, the student will be considered to be in good academic

standing. Otherwise, the student will be placed on ACADEMIC

(See also the requirements which appear In the individual faculty sections.)

General Degree

The minimum requirement for graduation on the general degree program

Is a graduation grade point average of 2.00. The graduation average will be

calculated on the entire required 120 semester hours passed

used for

credit

toward the degree, or on the 60 semester hours of the final four levels for

courses passed

used

for credit toward the degree Including the normal 45

semester hours of work in upper division courses. The average will be com-

puted by dividing the total number of grade points earned by the total number

of semester hours assigned for those courses Included In the calculation,

excluding duplicate courses. A

grade

point average of not less than 2.00 Is

required in courses comprising the major Studies