SENATE 

To

.............................................................................. 

............COURSE CHALLENGE, S. 71-57 

MOTION: ? 

"That Senate approve the proposal contained 

in Paper S.71-57 for Course Challenge for a 

one-year trial period, and for the courses 

indicated." 

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Note: The attached paper is a revision of Paper S.71-37, 

previously considered by Senate and referred back 

to the Senate Undergraduate Admissions Board. 

B. C. WILSON, VICE-PRESIDENT.ACAD.EMIC 

AND CHAIRMAN, SENATE UNDERGRADUATE 

IL 16 1971 

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AP . 

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TO: ALL MEMBERS OF SENATE ? 

FROM: DR. B.C. WILSON, ACADEMIC 

VICE-PRESIDENT, AND CHAIRMAN, 

SENATE UNDERGRADUATE ADMISSIONS BOARD 

DATE: FEBRUARY 8, 1971. 

REVISED: APRIL 8, 1971 

SUBJECT: COURSE CHALLENGE 

During its consideration of the Ellis Report, Senate approved 

in

principle a programme of Course Challenge. The Senate 

Undergraduate Admissions Board were directed to develop, with 

interested Departments, a detailed proposal which would be 

submitted to Senate for approval. It was suggested in the 

Ellis 

Report that it be implemented initially for a one-year 

trial period. 

The Senate Committee on Undergraduate Admissions and Standings 

developed a proposal which was forwarded to Departments for 

their comments. The Departments were asked if they would 

• ? 

participate, what courses would be available for Course 

Challenge, and what assessment procedures would be used. Only 

a limited number of replies were received, and not all supported 

the idea of Course Challenge. 

MOTION: ? 

That Senate approve the attached proposal 

for Course Challenge for a one-year trial 

period, and for the courses indicated. 

Other Departments wishing to participate could do so by submit- 

ting details to the Senate Undergraduate Admissions Board. 

The attached proposal was approved unanimously by the Senate 

Undergraduate Admissions Board. 

If this proposal is approved at the May meeting of Senate, in 

order that it may be implemented during Summer Semester, 1971, 

S.U.A.B. approved an extension of the Course Challenge regis- 

tration period to May 21st, 1971. 

The following comments, which do not form a part of the motion, 

are given for the information of Senators. 

1. Restriction of number of credits that may be taken 

by Course Challenge is recognition that university 

experience involves more than accumulation of credit. 

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2.  The freedom to elect to offer or not to offer the 

opportunity for Course Challenge should be left 

entirely to the department involved. There is no 

indication in the Ellis Report that Course 

Challenge is to be forced on all departments in 

the University. 

3.

Revoking a student's Course Challenge privilege 

after he has had two unsuccessful challenges is 

to prevent frivolous abuse of the Course Challenge 

procedure. 

4.

An examination fee appears to be in order. It is 

proposed that this be equal in magnitude to the 

regular per unit fee for registration. If this 

is not done, Course Challenge may be abused for the 

purpose of avoiding fees. 

5.

Course Challenge credit should not be involved in 

semester load, or semester or cumulative grade 

point average. This would cloud scholarship, 

Canada Student Loan and other matters related to 

semester load. 

End. 

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COURSE CHALLENGE 

Course Challenge is a method by which a student may obtain 

credit for course material which he has learned elsewhere 

(i.e. 

outside the University). Course Challenge credit is 

not normally available for courses which a student audits 

and subsequently decides to take for credit. 

IMPLEMENTATION 

Immediately on approval by Senate. 

COURSES AVAILABLE 

Course Challenge is available on any course so designated by 

a Department and approved by the Senate Undergraduate Admis- 

sions Board. The following courses are available initially:-. 

.

Department   

Courses 

Biology     

All

courses, except 

research courses. 

Chemistry    

104, 105. 

Geography    

All

courses. 

Mathematics   

141, 

151, 152. 

Availability 

Every semester. 

Summer, 1971. 

Every semester. 

Any semester in which 

they are offered. 

(Currently, every 

semester). 

.

Modern ? 

French 151, 152 ) 

Languages 

?

?

201, 202 ). 

?

German 102, 103 ) 

201, 202 ) 

?

Russian 102, 103 ) 

?

Every semester. 

201,202) 

Spanish 102, 103 ) 

201, 202 ) 

Notes on Modern Language Challenges:- 

1.

A

student Is allowed a maximum of 8 semester hours of 

course challenge credit in each of the above languages. 

2.

A student would be given full credit for the language 

course successfully challenged, plus the course 

immediately preceding it in sequence, assuming that 

this has not already been taken for credit in the 

regular manner. 

N.

N.B. A student who is excluded from language courses 

below the 300 level because of his native, or 

near native fluency in a language (see Calendar, 

Page 132) will automatically be given 8 hours of 

unassigned credit in that language. 

METHOD OF ASSESSMENT 

The student is subject to an assessment equivalent to the 

final examination for the course, plus an interview which 

may include an oral and/or a practical examination, all to be 

arranged and approved by the Chairman of the Department involved. 

RULES 

1. ? 

A

maximum of 60 semester hours of credit may be obtained 

by the combined mechanisms of Course Challenge and 

Transfer Credit. 

.

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2. ? 

A student is not entitled to register for Course Challenge 

credit if he has previously applied unsuccessfully for 

Course Challenge credit in two courses. 

3.  A student must register for Course Challenge credit during 

the period allowed for addition of courses in the partiçu- 

lar semester (but see note above concerning extension 

Summer Semester; 1971). 

4.

The statement of the final disposition of the Course 

Challenge attempt must be submitted to the Registrar on 

or before the last day for submission of regular grades 

in the same semester. 

PROCEDURE 

1.

Student obtains Course Challenge Registration Form (CCR) 

from Registrar's Office. 

2.  Student seeks approval of Department Chairman to 

register for a course challenge in that Department. 

Approval indicates willingness of the Department to 

administer the necessary examinations and interview 

for that student. 

3.

Student returns CCR to Registrar's Office. Fees will 

be assessed as if he were registering in the course in 

the normal way (that is, on the total number of hours 

for which he is registered in that semester, both 

normally and for course challenge). 

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4.

If the student fails to achieve the minimum satisfac- 

tory standard, a notation to that effect is conveyed 

to the Registrar for inclusion in his dossier. No 

notation appears on the student's transcript. If he 

fails to undertake the assessment, that information 

is conveyed to the Registrar, also for inclusion in 

his dossier, but not in his transcript. 

5.

If the student performs successfully, the department 

forwards a notation to that effect to the Registrar 

for inclusion in normal fashion in his transcript 

entry for that semester. The grade should be signed 

by the examiner and the Department Chairman. The 

entry "CC" goes into the grade column, with an expla- 

natory note on the transcript. Grade points are not 

calculated, nor are units used in the computation of 

grade point averages. 