SiMON FRASER UNIVERSITY
MEMORANDUM
From
SENATE COMMITTEE ON ACADEMIC
PLANNING
Date
...............14.............................
•
?
To
......................................................
Subject
VISA STUDENT ADMISSION TO LIMITED
ENROLMENT PROGRAMS.
Action undertaken by the Senate Committee on Academic Planning at
its meeting of April 4, 1984 gives rise to the following motion:
MOTION: "That Senate approve and recommend approval to the
Board of Governors, as set forth in S.84-33 , the
proposal to limit visa student admission to limited
enrolment programs in Computing Science and Business
Administration, including: policy
regulations
implementation plan
It is intended that the regulations outlined in the proposal take
effect for January 1985 and following.
0
SiMON FRASER UNIVERSITY ?
MEMORANDUM
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From .....
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Subject ...... V
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Enrolment Programs
HISTORY OF THE INVOLVEMENT OF THE SENATE COMMITTEE ON ACADEMIC PLANNING WITH
INTERNATIONAL STUDENT QUOTAS AT THE PROGRAM LEVEL: 1983-1984
SCAP Meeting of October 12, 1983
A memorandum from the Vice-President Academic bringing to SCAP's attention
the University's International Student Policy for review and possible
modification was discussed. Three issues were addressed:
1. The 7% quota on new international undergraduate students would
have to be reviewed and possibly lowered if general enrolment
limitations for the University were implemented in the Fall of
1984.
• ?
2. The number of international students enrolled in limited
enrolment programs was a matter of increasing concern. Recent
information showing the enrolment of majors by program and the
proportion of majors of visa student origin was circulated.
3.
Differential fees for international students in 1984/85. The
Board of Governors had considered a recommendation proposing
differential fees in January, 1982; however, atthe request 'of
the Student Society this was withdrawn and the general tuition
fee Increase made larger. Recently the University had been
advised that the Minister would like the Universities to
introduce
,
differential fees.
SCAP Meeting of December 7, 1984
Based on the discussion at the SCAP meeting of October 12th and at the
request of the Committee, the Vice-President, Academic brought forward for
the Committee's consideration the following proposals for change to the
University's International Student Policy.
1.
That the annual quota on new undergraduate international
students be reduced to 5%, effective for the 84-3 semester.
2.
That the admission of international students into limited
enrolment undergraduate programs be limited to twice the
University's overall quota.
.../2
-2-
The Vice-President pointed out that when the International
Student Policy was first adopted in 1982, it was decided not to
impose any program level quotas. One of the most compelling
reasons for this was a desire to treat all students equally
once they had been admitted as students and met the academic
requirements associated with the programs. At that time it was
recognized that international students were very unevenly
distributed across programs.
A motion that the annual quota of new undergraduate international students
be changed from 7% to 5% effective for the 84-3 semester failed.
A second motion, that the number of international students admitted into
limited enrolment undergraduate programs be limited to twice the
University's quota on new undergraduate international, students was
carried. The vote was 8 in favour, 6 opposed, with 1 abstention.
SCAP Meeting of January 4, 1984
A special meeting of SCAP dealt exclusively with the issue of
international students and program quotas. Dr. Munro informed the
Committee that a paper had been prepared and was ready to go to the
January 9th meeting of Senate with the recommendation that international
student quotas be established in limited enrolment programs at twice the
University level. However, since there was concern at the sharp division
on the matter, the issue was being brought back to SCAP to consider if
alternatives were available. Two motions were considered at the meeting.
The first motion was to reconsider the original motion of December 7, 1983
to establish quotas at the program level. Vote was undertaken to
reconsider and carried. (7 in favour, 4 opposed).
In reconsideration of the main motion, concern was expressed that a
considerable amount of tuition fee revenue was at stake if program quotas
were implemented. It was suggested that time be allowed for a more
careful look at the estimates of student numbers and potential revenue
loss and to consider constructive alterative options which would be of
more benefit to the University. Vote was undertaken on the main motion
that the number of international students admitted into limited enrolment
undergraduate programs be limited to twice the University's overall
quota. The motion failed with 4 in favour and 9 opposed.
The Academic Vice-President stated that further information and proposals
would be circulated on this issue for the January 18th meeting.
0
-3-
SCAP Meeting of January 18, 1984
Three courses of action were proposed by the Vice-President, Academic
which might be used to deal with the problem of international student
enrollments in limited enrollment programs:
1.
Admit international students on a quota basis to limited
enrolment programs at the time they are admitted to the
University. This was outlined in a paper from Dean Calvert;
2.
Reduce the general University new international student quota
from
7%
to
5%;
and,
3.
Rely on the visa student differential fee proposal before the
Board of Governors to reduce visa student enrolment.
Discussion ended with the understanding that the issue would be on the
February agenda with a firm proposal from Dean Calvert on the first course
of action.
SCAP Meeting of February 8, 1984
Deans Hoyt and Calvert introduced a joint proposal to limit to 7% the
number of international students admitted as majors in the Faculty of
.
?
Business Administration and the Department of Computing Science. The
proposal required that international students md icat e their mt ent ion to
major in these two programs at the time of admission to the University.
A motion "that SCAP approve and recommend approval to Senate, as set forth
in SCAP 84-5, the proposed international student enrolment limitation in
the Faculty of Business Administration and the Department of Computing
Science." was carried.
SCAP Meeting of March 7, 19814
Discussion centered on a memorandum from the Vice-President Academic
pointing out that further attention was required by SCAP on several issues
related to the Calvert/Hoyt proposal to limit the number of international
student majors in Business Administration and Computing Science. These
were:
1.
The issue of admission to minor programs and individual courses.
2.
The probable effects of the proposal to limit enrolments in
Business Administration and Computing Science on the Departments of
Economics and Mathematics.
3.
The prospect that the restrictions on visa students to the two
departments would precipitate a significant decline in the number
of visa students at this University.
.../4
-4-
4.
The implementation date (proposed to be January 1,
1985).
It
would be fairer to students to delay implementation until September
1, 1985.
5.
The possibility that international student quotas should be based
on geographical area.
6.
The desireabiity for a sunset clause (three years) in the proposal.
7.
Statistics on visa students' GPA's suggested that the GPA-based
enrolment limitation measures currently in place in Business
Administration and Computing Science, since GPA's for visa students
are somewhat lower than for domestic students, would produce a
decline in visa student enrolment in these programs.
A motion "that the paper SCM'
8-7
be referred to Deans Calvert and
Hoyt to deal with the questions" was carried.
SCAP Meeting of April
4, 1984
A revised proposal from Deans Calvert and Hoyt was presented along with
a response to the specific questions in Vice-President, Academic's
earlier memorandum. Statistics relating to the numbers and percentage
distributions of undergraduate visa students by program and cumulative
GPA distributions for both visa as well as Canadian students in
Computing Science and Business Administration were also circulated.
?
40
A motion "that SCAP approve and recommend approval to Senate as set
forth in SCAP
84-15,
the proposed visa student quotas in limited
enrolment programs in Computing Science and Business Administration"
was carried. The motion is now before Senate.
VISA STUDENT ADMISSION
.
?
TO LIMITED ENROLLMENT PROGRAMS
Preamble
For a number of years the degree programs in Business
Administration and Computing Science have been attracting more
qualified students that they can responsibly handle. In 1981 and
1982 enrollment limitation regulations were approved for both of
these programs. These regulations are designed to control
enrollment by raising the CGPA required to declare a major; thus
the gate was set at the 60 credit hoar level - half way through -
the degree program. In1:983 the Business Administration
regulations were amended to impose a numerical quota on admission
• ?
to the major; students can apply between their 30th and 60th
credit hour. It is clear that the application of these
regulations has resulted in a substantial number of students who
would otherwise qualify for degree programs at SFU being denied
admission to these two programs.
Since 1983 Simon Fraser University has applied a quota of 7%
to the admission of visa students to the University. However,
although visa students only make up 7% of all University
admissions, they constitute between 25 and 30% of the enrollment
in the Business Administration and Computing Science major
programs. Thus some Canadian students (and their parents) have
been correct when they have complained that they have been denied
access to the program of their choice because of the presence of
40 ?
visa students. Clearly, this Presents a moral, political and
administrative dilemma for the University.
-2 -
With reluctance, it is now recommended that the University
institute regulations which will limit the number of visa
students working towards degrees in Business Administration and
Computing Science. Both of these units fully recognize the value
of international students to their programs and to the
University. They also recognize our obligation to assist
citizens of other countries in obtaining a university
education. However, it is felt that these aspects must be
balanced against the needs of Canadians for access to high demand
programs.
Policy
An admission quota for visa students will be applied to
undergraduate degree programs in
Business Administration
and
Computing Science.
?
Visa students
who wish to enter one
of these
limited enrollment programs must
declare this intention
at the
time they apply for admission to the University and must be
accepted into the program at that time.
Regulations
1. ?
A numerical admission quota will be established annually
for each limited enrollment program. This quota will be
set at a number such that, after allowing for attrition,
the number of visa students entering the honors, major or
minor programs each year will not exceed approximately 10%
of the total number of students entering these programs.
0
-3-
2.
Applicants for admission who wish to qualify for a given
limited enrollment program will be evaluated competitively
on the basis of their academia performance.
3.
Applicants for admission may not apply for acceptance into
more than one of these limited enrollment programs.
4.
A visa student who has been accepted into a limited
enrollment program on admission to the University will be
guaranteed admission to the program provided his/her
academic performance meets the normal standards for
admission to that program.
5.
A visa student who does not meet the standards for
admission to a limited enrollment program may apply for
entry into any other program which does not have
• enrollment
conditions for
limitations
entry to
provided
that program.
s/he otherwise meets the
6.
A visa student who is not accepted into a limited
enrollment program at the time of admission to the
University will not normally be able to enter that
program.
Implementation Plan
1 • ?
These regulations will take effect for students applying
for admission for the Spring Semester of 1985. The
regulations will remain in effect for a period of
3
years.
2.
?
The need for these regulations will be reviewed in 1987.
• ?
In the interim, the units concerned are authorized to
relax the restrictions if this becomes possible.
_1I_
3. ?
The admissions process will be handled by the University
Admissions Office as a subset of the operation of the 7%
quota on the admission of:visa students to the
University. Business Administration and Computing Science
will form Admissions Committees to provide general
guidance to the Admissions Office. In addition, appeals
from visa students not admitted, will be heard by the
Student-Faculty Relations Committee in the Faculty of
Business Administration and by the Admissions Committee in
Computing Science.
• ?
l. ?
It will generally be necessary to interpret a "Limited
Enrollment Program" to include a family of related
programs. ?
At present,
the Computing Science family will
include the Computing Science Minor, Major and Honors, the
Digital Systems Design Honors, the joint Math-Computing
Honors and the Management and Systems Science Major and
Honors; the Business Administration family will include
the Business Administration Minor, Major and Honors, the
joint Business-Economics Major and Honors and the
Management and Systems Science Major and Honors.
STATISTICS ON
INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS
IN UNDERGRADUATE PROGRAMS
AT SFU
Tables
1984-1 and 1983-3 numbers and percentdistribution
of international students by program.
Graphs
1984-1 cum.
GPA
distributions for both international
students and Canadian students.
.
0
/
TABLE
/
?
NUMBER AND % DISTRIBUTION OF UNDERGRADUATE
/
INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS BY
/ ?
-
?
SFU DEPARTMENT IN
WHICH MAJORING
-
1984-I
%OFALL
%OFALL
FOREIGN
PROGRAM
FACULTY/PROGRAM
MAJORS
MAJORS
A. Arts
179
31.1
10.4
Archaeology
1
0.2
3.3
Economics
112
19.4
English
8
1.4
2.9
Geography
2
0.3
1.1
History
7
1.2
4.1
Lang.,
?
Lit., ?
Ling.
7
1.2
4.9
Philosophy ?
.
1
0.2
2.8
Political ?
Science
9
1.6
9.2
Psychology
24
4.2
6.6
Sociology/Anthropology
8
1.4
8.3
B. Business Administration
207
35.9
d9 - 2 D
C. ?
Interdisciplinary St.
136
23.6
12.8
Communication
20
3.5
10.
Computing Science
82
14.2
7,
Criminology
17
3.0
5.4
Kinesiology
8
1.4
5.6
Management & System Sc.
8
1.4
33.3
C
D. Science
Biosciences
Biochemistry
Chemistry
Mathematics
Physics
10
1.7
7.2
11
1.9
22.9
3
0.5
7.3
21
3.6
25.0
9
1.6
20.0
54
?
9.4
?
15.1
TOTAL
?
576
?
100.0
?
13.7
Notes:
1 Includes declared and intended Majors, Honors, Double Majors, Double
Honors, Joint Majors, Joint Honors who have completed more than 60 credit
hours prior to registration in the semester shown.
2 There were no international students majoring in Chemical Physics, Canadian
Studies, Fine and Performing Arts, Latin American Studies, Mathematical
Physics, Psychology, Linguistics & Philosophy (PLP), Philosophy, Russian,
or Math/Computing.
3. Table 2 has been corrected for visa status unknown students.
?
.
(423C/2)
f., ?
•• ?
-.Amended Nov. ?
23, ?
1983
TABLE
NUMBER AND
% DISTRIBUTION OF UNDERGRADUATE
INTERNATIONAL.
STUDENTS
BY
SFU DEPARTMENT IN
WHICH MAJORING
1983-3
%OFALL
%OFALL
FOREIGN
PROGRAM
FACULTY/PROGRAM
MAJORS
MAJORS
A. Arts
166
26.2
11.0
Archaeology ?
.
1
0.2
Economics
109
17.2
39.1
English
8
1.3
3.5
Geography
1
0.2
0.6
History
5
0.8
3.1
•
?
Lang.,
?
Lit., ?
Ling.
9
1.4
7.6
Philosophy
P
0.0
0.0
Political ?
Science
8
1.3
7.8
• ?
Psychology
16
2.5
5.2
Sociology/Anthropology
9
1.4
10.6 /
.B. ?
Business Administration
275
43.4
L
2-4-.
6 D
C.
?
Interdisciplinary St.
135
21.3
14.6
•
?
Communication
24
3.8
Computing Science
83
13.1
Criminology
16
2.5
6.5
Kinesiology
5
0.8
3.9
Management & System Sc.
7
1.1
43.8
0. Science
57
9.0
17.4
Biosciences
7
1.1
6.1
Biochemistry
9
1.4.
19.1
Chemistry
3
0.5
8.1
Mathematics
29
4.6
36.3
Physics
9
1.4
23.1
TOTAL
633
100.0
16.3
Notes:
T ?
Includes declared and intended
Majors,
Honors, Double
Majors, Double
Honors, Joint Majors, Joint
Honors who
have completed
more than 60 credit
hours prior to registration
in the semester shown.
2
?
There were no international
students majoring in Biophysics,
Chemical
Physics, Canadian Studies,
Fine and Performing Arts,
Latin American
Studies, Mathematical Physics,
Digital
Systems Design
Program, Psychology,
Linguistics & Philosophy (PLP),
Philosophy, Russian.
•
3. Table 2 has been corrected
for visa status unknown students.
(719A/8)
?
• ?
% OF STUDENTS
(14
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0
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0
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(71
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1.3
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1.9
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4?1
49
% OF STUDENTS
(31 ?
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SiMON FRASER UNIVERSITY
f
MEMORANDUM
To....... ?
Senate Committee on Academic
PTãhirig.....................................
.
Sub1.d ....... .
From
T. W. Calvert, Dean,
G.C. Hoyt,Dean,
dItin ?
..
Date..
Mar'c..
13,19..
As directed at the March meeting of SCAP, we have refined
the proposal approved at the February meeting. We hope that this
clarifies several points regarding implementation and addresses
some of the issues raised In Dr. Munro's memo of March
6, 1984.
It may be helpful to review this revised proposal, in the
context of the issues raised by Dr. Munro:
1.
The proposal has been clarified to make it explicit that it
applies to all minors, majors and honors In Business
Administration and Computing Science. We believe that both
Economics and Mathematics are well aware of the fact that this
could result in visa student pressure being transferred to their
programs. However, they have already experienced overall
pressure as a result of enrollment limitation being applied to
40 ?
all students in Business Administration and Computing Science.
2.
Presumably this point is more appropriately addressed by
the Departments of Economics and Mathematics in consultation with
their respective Deans.
3.
The proposed regulations will almost certainly result in a
decline in overall visa student enrollment in the University. It
is difficult to predict the size of the decline. The quota has
been increased to 10% in accordance with Dr. Munro's suggestion.
I
t. ?
The implementation date attached to the original SCAP
motion was January
1985.
This is now explicitly incorporated in
the proposal.
5. ?
The proposed regulations will not supercede University
regulations on the admission of visa students, i.e. students
applying to Business Administration and Computing Science will be
in competition with all other students applying for admission to
the University within the 7% quota. If it is assumed that
Business admits
500
students per year and Computing
80
students
per year to their degree programs, a 10% quota will amount to a
total of
58
students extering the degree programs. An attrition
factor of
0.5
might be appropriate to determine the number to be
admitted to the University. If this is correct, then 116 would
be admitted to the University. In
1982/83
SFU admitted a total
. ?
of 4636 students; 7% of this is
325.
Obviously, it Is very
unlikely that these two programs will exhaust the University
quota!
6.
We do not believe that it is practical or desirable to
institute geographic quotas for visa students at the program (or
University) level.
7.
A three year limitationon the regulations has been
added. It is proposed that the regulations be reviewed during
their third year.
8.
Mr. Evans has provided details of the statistics alluded to
in Dr. Munro's memo. We do not believe that the problem will
solve itself. However, since our judgement, like that of others,
is fallible, we propose that the programs concerned be authorized
to relax these regulations, should this become desirable.
We recognize that some of you do not like these
regulations. We wish that they were not necessary. However, we
believe that it is in the interests of our programs and of the
University that these regulations be implemented as soon as
possible. We hope that after the extensive discussion which has
now taken place, they can receive speedy approval from SCAP and
Senate.
TWC/rj
T.W. Calvert
G.C. HOYT
.
S
