SiMON FRASER UNIVERSITY
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MEMORANDUM
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To ?
SENATE ?
From
SENATE UNDERGRADUATE ADMISSIONS BOARD
(SNAT° 0011i1 O A(:i)1: I
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r'LAW INi:)
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PROPOSAL FOR NEW ADMISSION REQUIREMENtS D
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ae...........
OCTOBER 20,
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1.978
MOTION I
"That in addition to presenting Algebra 11 (which
is currently a requirement for admission), B.C.
Secondary School applicants be required to present
a Science 11 (i.e.
?
physical or life science) or a
Language 11."
MOTION II
"That B.C. Secondary School students be required to
present four academic 12-level subjects (including
English 12)
?
for admission."
MOTION III
"That, normally, applicants must present an overall
average of C+, or 2.5, on the four academic 12-level
subjects (including English 12).
?
Applicants whose
overall average on the four academic 12-level, subjects
is
between C and C+ will be considered for admission
by the Senate Undergraduate Admissions Board."
MOTION IV
"That students be allowed to select their academic
12-level subjects from the Arts and Science list is
approved by the Ministry of Education."
MOTION V
"That the preceding admission requirements be effective
commencing with June 1981 B.C. Secondary School
Graduates. ?
Admission of applicants graduating pre-
viously will be based on the admission requirements in
effect the year of graduation."
Note: ?
Applicants who, because of administrative
difficulties in their schools, cannot present
the courses as required, may be excused the
specific deficiency on petition by the
Principal of the school concerned.
MOTION VI
"For applicants graduating in 1980,
?
that, normally,
they must present an overall average of C+, or 2.5
on the three (3) academic 12-level subjects (including
English 12)."
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SiMON FRASER UNIVERSITY
MEMORANDUM
0
To.
..Senate
From
Senate Committee on Academic
Planning/Senate Underqradua Le
Admissions Board
Subject..
Senate Paper S-78-114
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Date
INTRODUCTION
At the September Senate meeting, there was presented for
informal discussion a SUAB paper involving a series of motions
relating to proposed new admission requirements for B.C. Secon-
dary School graduates, on the understanding that there would
be discussion at SCAP and with SUAB before final recommendations
came forward to Senate for action. The intent of this memorandum
--
?
is to set for.ththe subsequentdiscuSSions, considerations and
actions which have produced this final set of recommendations.
COMMI.L'TEE DELIBERATIONS
Following the September Senate meeting, the Senate Committee
on Academic Planning, at its meeting on September 13, considered,
with SUAB representatives in attendance, SUAB's recommendations
for new B.C. Secondary School admission requirements and, follow-
ing extensive discussions, took straw votes on each of
them.
A
second meeting of SCAP on September 27 was held for the purpose
of finalizing that Committee's views on the SUAB recommendations.
SCAP's recommendations were then conveyed to SUAB and accepted
by that body basically without change but with updating of the
final SUAB paper. The document now before Senate has the approval
of both SUAB and SCAP.
COMMITTEE CONSIDERATIONS
The consideration by SCAP of the SUAB recommendations focused
on two major issues: the question of accessibility and the effect
on Simon Fraser future enrolments and future size.
On the issue of accessibility, several concerns were ex-
pressed. First, an increase in the minimum GPA entrance require-
ment could result in the loss of potentially good students whose
high school performance does not reflect their capability to
perform good undergraduate and graduate work. Second, a require-
ment that secondary school applicants present for admission both
a Grade 11 physical or life science and French 11 (or
'a foreign-
language 11) would impose a very substantial course load, with
restriction on electives, particularly on those students pursuing
• science orientation. Third, the recommendation to require both
• Grade 11 physical or life science course and French 11 (or a
foreign language ll)was at variance with that adopted at U. Vie.
where an either/or situation will prevail, but would have been
consistent with that at U.B.C. In response to the latter two
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concerns, SUAB is now recommending that B.C. Secondary School
applicants be required to present either Science 11 or Language
11.
To give direction to the secondary schools of the Province,
it is desirable that B.C. Secondary School applicants be restricted
in the courses which they may use for university, admission to
those on the Arts and Science-list approved by the Ministry of
Education. This is done at both U.B.C. and U. Vic. The initial
SUAB recommendation encompassed more languages than those on
the list since any native language would have been acceptable in
lieu of French 11. The revised SUAB motion takes this into con-
sideration by restricting the languages to those on the Minister's
approved list.
For a substantial number of students the statistical evi-
dence' clearly indicates that secondary school G.P.A. is not an
accurate reflection of their possible scholastic achievement in
university. SUAB has therefore established procedures for auto-
matic consideration of B.C. Secondary School students whose ad-
mission grade point average falls between C and C+. These pro-
cedures do not constitute a formal recommendation but are intended
solely to indicate how SUAB intends to review these applicants.
Parenthetically, it should be noted that if Recommendation III is
approved by Senate, a subsequent motion will be required to modify
the terms of reference for SUAB since its charge at present
relates solely to policy consideration.
Regarding future enrolments and overall size of the Univer-
sity, statistical data previously presented to members of Senate
showed that approximately 28% of new S.F.U. students per year
are admitted on the basis of B.C.. Grade 12. Of this percentage,
1/2 or 14% are admitted directly from a B.C. Secondary School.
It is thus anticipated that the impact on total student enrolment
of the new admission requirements will be marginal.
Further rationale for each of the SUAB recommendations is
contained in the attached report. At this time, no revisions to
the requirements for admission of those students entering S.F.U.
on a basis other than B.C. Grade 12 are anticipated.
0
•SiMON FRASER UNIVERSITY
MEMORANDUM
To. ?
H.M. EVANS
?
.
?
From
SENATE UNDERGRADUATE ADMISSIONS BOARD
SECRETARY OF SENATE
SUAB 80 (REVISED) - PROPOSAL FOR NEW
Subject.....
.ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS FOR B.C.
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Date
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12TH OCTOBER, 1978
SECONDARY SCHOOL GRADUATES
The Senate Undergraduate Admissions Board at its
meeting of Wednesday, October 11, 1978, approved
SUAB 80 (REVISED). This new paper incorporates
- - many of the items which were discussed at-
Senate-in September, 1978, and subsequently at SCAP and
SUAB.
SUAB. 80 (REVISED) is being forwarded to Senate
for approval.
End.
ACM: bc
cc: Dr. J. Chase, Secretary, SCAP
All Members of SUAB
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LJ 11 1V1J1 I t - ?
t1-LJ1_Affi1. ?
J I I J. V .LJILiJi
1 .1.
MEMORANDUM
To ?
H.M. EVANS
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From ?
ALAN C. McMILLAN,.SECRETARY ... ........ .......
SECRETARY OF SENATE
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SENATE UNDERGRADUATE ADMI.SSIONS.BOARD....
Subject
SUAB 80 (S.78-90):
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PROPOSED NEW
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Date ?
21ST SEPTEMBER, 1978 ............
ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS
The Senate Undergraduate Admissions Board at a meeting
held on Tuesday, September 19th, unanimously approved
a motion to withdraw Recommendation VI from the paper
on Proposed New Admission Requirements (SUAB 80/S.78-90).
This decision was reached as a result of there being
no clear evidence that a student obtaining a grade of
"P" in English 12 would benefit from English 010. It
was also felt that a much clearer understanding of the
literacy problems is required before any appropriate
recommendations can be made. It is, therefore, antici-
pated that the work of the English Literacy Sub-Committee
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and the English Placement Test studies will lead to a
future recommendation in this area.
ACM:bc
cc: Dr. P. Jewett, President
Dr. E.J. Wells, A/Chairman, SUAB
Registrar's Note: The reference above is to Recommendation VI of
the paper, SUAB 80, considered informally at the
September 1978 meeting of Senate. The recommendation
is not part of the present SUAB 80.
SUAB 80 REVISED
11TH OCTOBER, 1978
PROPOSAL FOR NEW ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS FOR B.C. SECONDARY
SCHOO L
GRADUATES
INTRODUCTION ?
-
By September, 1981, the University of British Columbia
and the University of Victoria will have phased in various
changes in their admission requirements. (See Appendix I).
The Admission, Transfer and Academic Standing policies of
Simon Fraser University are based on the Ellis Report.
which was accepted by Senate in 1970; No major changes
have been made since that date and the Senate Undergraduate
Admissions Board has been doing a review of our admission
policies keeping in mind the following considerations:--
1.
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There must be some assurance that students
entering Simon Fraser University from secondary
schools are prepared for studies at university
level. Along with this will go the assurance
to faculty that they may expect a given level of
preparation from the students they are teaching.
This expectation must be reconciled with the
considerable body of evidence that some students
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who have not done well in secondary school, par-
ticularly in the final years, are capable of
doing very good undergraduate and graduate work.
The Committee did not wish to exclude all such
students from direct access to a university
education.
2.
A second problem which SUAB faced was to indicate
to our colleagues, to other universities and most
particularly to students in the secondary schools
through their counsellors, that the admission
requirements for the British Columbia universities
are comparable, in spite of some seeming, but not
real, differences. This approach has been labelled
as a 'public relations approach
1
on the one hand,
and, on the other, as being an 'unnecessary justi-
fication' for what is being recommended.
3.
The course requirements which are being suggested
must be ones which the student can satisfy with-
out too much difficulty from the list of courses
approved by the Ministry of Education for secondary
schools. (See Appendix II). It is recognized,
however, that some of the smaller, or more isolated
secondary schools, may not be able to provide the
whole range of courses listed by the Ministry of
Education. SUAB will consider such problems as
they arise.
.
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4.
Both the University of British Columbia and the
University of Victoria allow students to select
their courses from the Arts and Science list
approved by the Ministry of Education. Although
SUAB is making a similar recommendation, it is
with the understanding that if there is any
question as to the status of a course which is
being added to the list, that that course may be
reviewed for Senate by SUAB. There are three
new courses which SUAB will be considering.
They include Western Civilisation 12, Geometry
12 and Probability and Statistics 1.2;
5.
SUAB was very much aware of the difference
between admitting students to a particular
faculty as is done at the University of British
• ?
Columbia, and admitting them to the University
as at Simon Fraser. In the latter instance, the
admission requirements must be flexible enough
to allow a student to change from one faculty, or
discipline, to another after having been admitted
to the University.
6.
A current policy which was developed in the Ellis
Report established that "the University has a
particular responsibility to applicants from the
Province of British Columbia." The. SUAB supports
the continuation of this policy and discussed the
effect of the proposed admission requirements on
this existing policy. The Board felt that it
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was possible to implement an admissions average
of C+ for B.C. Secondary School graduates, with-
out a concurrent change in the standards for
applicants from outside the Province, and par-
tially maintain the Ellis Report provisions by
having the SUAB review the B.C. Secondary School
applicants in the C to C+ range. Accordingly,
no change is recommended in the C+ (65%) level
of secondary school qualifications of students
from schools outside of British Columbia.
CURRENT SFU ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS
Currently students are admitted from B.C. Secondary
Schools provided they have achieved graduation on
the Combined, or Selected Studies Programme, with
standing in Algebra 11, English 12, and two additional
academic 12-level subjects selected from: English
Literature 12, Geography 12, History 12, Geology 12,
Language(s) 12, Algebra 12, Science(s) 12. On English
12 and the two additional 12-level subjects, a minimum
overall average of 2.0, or C, is required.
RECOMMENDATIONS
In December of 1977, the SUAB struck a sub-committee
to investigate revisions to the admission requirements.
The sub-committee met on four occasions before making
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a recommendation to the full committee. The SUAB has
discussed the proposal for revisiOnS to the existing
admission requirements at several meetings, including
a combined SUAB/SCAP meeting. The results of these
discussions are contained in the following recommen-
dations:--
RECOMMENDATION I
That in addition to presenting Algebra ii
(which is currently a requirement for admission),
B.C. Secondary School applicants be required to
present a Science 11 (le: physical or life
science) or a Language 11.
RECOMMENDATIONiL
That B.C. Secondary School students be required
to present four academic 12-level subjects (in-
cluding English 12) for admission.
RATIONALE FOR RECOMMENDATION
S'
I AND II
It is the desire of the Committee to encourage
students to have a stronger and broader academic
background than at present. The recommendations
to include a Science 11 or a Language 11 and an
additional academic 12, are seen as fulfilling
these objectives.
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The sub-committee studied the academic back-
ground of a sample group of current SFU students
and these data indicate that many students
entering SFU already possess one or more of
these Grade 11 requirements. Of a sample group
(142) admitted to SFU, 76% held standing in
Biology 11 and 68% held standing in French 11.
The percentage who entered with standing in the
other sciences were Chemistry 11 (73%) and Physics
11 (54%). More recent data is available. See
Appendix IV.
RECOMMENDATION III
That, normally, applicants must present an
overall average of
C+,
or 2.5, on the four
academic 12-level subjects (including English 12).
AppTicants whose overall average on the four
academic 12-level subjects is between C and C+
will be considered for admission by the Senate
Undergraduate Admissions Board.
RATIONALE FOR RECOMMENDATION III
The Committee wishes to ensure that the academic
environment at Simon Fraser University is
attractive to the bright secondary school gra-
duates. Although there is no desire to attempt
to emulate our sister institutions in the Province,
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we do not wish to become the residual institution,
either in appearance, or in reality. Recommenda-
tion III raises our average for admission to the
same level as both the University of B.C. and the
University of Victoria, although the courses used
for calculation will continue to differ among the
three institutions. In the case of Simon Fraser
University, those applicants whose average is 2.5,
or higher, on English 12 and the three academic
- -----
12-subjects chosen irOm the Arts and Science list?
will be guaranteed admission.
The provision to allow the SUAB to review and
admit deserving individuals whose averages are
between C and C+ will also be consistent with
the other universities, and with data of SFU
student performance. (See Appendix III). The
provision to consider the student in the C to C+
range will serve two purposes:--
a)
It will allow a transitional period for the
new requirements.
b)
It will ensure that the University does not
exclude students who show academic promise,
although they do not have a C+ average.
PROPOSED PROCEDURES FOR SPECIAL CONSIDERATION
The general criteria to be used by SUAB when .review-
ing those applicants in the 2.0 to 2.49 range (on
four academic 12-level subjects) will be:--
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RANGE I: 2.25 to 2.49 (B.C. Secondary School
grade point average)
Applicants with an average in this range will
be reviewed closely by the Senate Undergraduate
Admissions Board. The Board will consider such
factors as:--
i)
the applicant's overall high school
performance;
ii)
the applicant's trend in grades;
iii)
extenuating circumstances;
iv)
supporting information from the
applicant's school;
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S
v)
availability of courses to fulfill the
specific admission requirements.
RANGE II: 2.0 to 2.24 (B.C. Secondary School
grade point average)
It is anticipated that very few students.in
this
range will be granted admission by the Board.
Possible exceptions may include applicants who
were ill and were unable to write final examina-
tions (or wrote and received low grades or
aegrotat standing) and for whom there is clear
evidence that the individual is at least a C+
0
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S
student. In such cases, the Board will request
the appropriate supporting documentation.
The procedure will have all applicants in the C
to C+ category (ie: RANGES I & II) reviewed by
the SUAB. Those applicants who, after full
scrutiny, are not granted admission by the
Senate Undergraduate Admissions Board will have
recourse through the Senate Appeals Board only
-
if
-
they are able to present additional
informa-
tion
(which was not available at the time of the
SUAB decision) which is relevant and consistent
with the criteria used by the SUAB.. It is
anticipated that there will be very few cases
placed before SAB, as the colleges are seen as
5 ?
the alternative to unsuccessful applicants. The
SAB will be required to report to SUAB on all
appeals for admission by B.C. Grade XII applicants
and in the event there appears to be inconsistency
in the decisions of the two Boards, the Senate
Undergraduate Admissions Board will prepare a
report to Senate.
These guidelines for review of applicants between
C and C+ will be made available to School Counsellors.
Applicants in the C to C+ range who are rejected
on initial application will be informed that their
application may be reconsidered by SUAB provided that
additional documentation relating to items (iii),
(iv) or (v) above is submitted.
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The performance of students admitted in the C
to C-f range will be monitored by SUAB.
RECOMMENDATION IV
That students be allowed to select their academic
12-level subjects from the Arts and Science list
as approved by the Ministry of Education.
RATIONALE FOR RECOMMENDATION IV
The courses contained in the Arts and Science
list are considered by the Ministry to be prepa-
ration for college and university bound students.
The courses from which we currently allow students
to select their academic 12 subjects have not
differed from the Arts and Science list until
recently. The addition by the Ministry of three
courses to the list has created the difference.
The SUAB feels confident that the courses in the
Arts and Science list are appropriate for univer-
sity entrance. The Board has been made aware of
the fact that some confusion has arisen at the
secondary school level, because we do not current-
ly allow students to select from all courses in
the Arts and Science list, whereas the other two
universities do recognize the full list.
.
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.
RECOMMENDATION V
That the preceding admission requirements be
effective commencing with June, 1981, B.C.
Secondary School Graduates. Admission of
applicants graduating previously will be based
on the admission requirements in effect the
year of graduation.
NOTE
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?
Of drninistPa-
tive difficulties in their schools,
cannot present the courses, as required,
may be excused the specific deficiency
on petition by the Principal of the
school concerned.
0 ?
..
RATIONALE FOR RECOMMENDATION V
It is felt that this period should allow
students adequate time to select appropriate
Grade 10 courses to meet the new requirements.
RECOMMENDATION VI
For applicants graduating in 1980, that,
normally, they must present an overall average
of C+, or 2.5 on the three (3) academic 12-
level subjects (including English 12).
S
- 12 -
Applicants whose overall average on the three
(3) academic 12-level subjects is between C
and Ci- may be considered for admission by the
Senate Undergraduate Admissions Board based
on the criteria outlined previously.
RATIONALE FOR RECOMMENDATION VI
The increased grade level requirement is con-
sistent with the new requirements being proposed
for 1981 and should not create any hardship for
students planning their secondary school pro-
grammes.
.
40
