SUNY New
Paltz Academic Affairs Committee
David
Blankenship, Jason Carter, Lisa Chase, Ben Endres, Wilma Feliciano, Glenn Geher
(Chair), Yoav Kaddar, Ann Minnick (guest), Matthew Schwartz, Yoni Schwartz,
Chi-Yang Tsai, Greg Wirszyla
1. Minutes of the September 9 meeting were
approved with minor revisions.
2. Announcements
Glenn
provided an overview of the discussion about the academic calendar for 2004/5
at the faculty meeting on September 12.
The faculty voted to adopt the version of the calendar that had no
classes on the religious holidays traditionally observed at SUNY New
Paltz. Glenn noted that the Committee
would continue to prepare two different versions of the calendar (one with
religious holidays and one secular).
Yoni suggested that we interpret the faculty vote as having determined
the question of the holidays in principle for the near future and plan only
versions of the calendar that recognized the holidays. After some disagreement and discussion, the
Committee agreed to take this issue up the next time the academic calendar is
on the Committee’s agenda.
3.
Discussion of Academic Standing Committee Proposal
Ann
Minnick explained that the Academic Standing Committee (a standing committee of
academic affairs) had been discussing changes in the practice of placing
students on academic probation. She was
seeking consultation with Academic Affairs on these possible changes before
they were implemented. Currently
students are placed on probation after their cumulative GPA drops below
2.0. The Academic Standing Committee
can then recommend probation or dismissal.
Ann proposed that students be placed on probation after two consecutive
semesters below a 2.0, rather than waiting until their cumulative GPA falls
that low. She provided evidence that
most students whose GPA drops below 2.0 for one semester usually return to a
2.0 or above the following semester, justifying a two semester rather than a
one semester criterion for probation.
Students who drop below 2.0 for one semester receive a warning letter.
The
Academic Affairs Committee discussed that the change implied two different
levels of probation and suggested different ways of identifying these
levels. The Committee agreed to allow the
Academic Standing Committee to proceed with the changes and report back if more
formal changes in the policy are necessary.
4.
New Business: Approval of Membership of
Standing Committees
Glenn
explained that it is the responsibility of the Academic Affairs Committee to
oversee membership on its various standing committees, which are primarily made
up of appointees by Deans. There are
different guidelines for representation for each committee. Glenn identified two inconsistencies between
current membership and the guidelines, and he suggested submitting proposed
changes to the guidelines to Barbara Hardgrave, Presiding Officer of the
Faculty, and the organization committee.
The Committee agreed that the guidelines should be changed to be
consistent with the current membership on the committees, which seemed
appropriate to the task of each committee.
Respectfully
submitted,
Ben
Endres