Last week I sent a message to all our faculty and staff asking for their support of our Student Emergency Support Fund. The response was nothing short of amazing and demonstrated the commitment we all have to the success of our students. I want to begin by thanking all of you who have responded and share some exciting news:

Thanks to an anonymous donor, the SUNY Impact Foundation has announced that it will match up to $50,000 of all money raised for our Student Emergency Support Fund between April 15 and July 1, 2020. Every gift will make twice the difference for Buffalo State College students.

All who responded last week will have their gifts matched automatically, as will all new gifts made to the Student Emergency Support Fund here before July 1.

When Buffalo State students came back to campus in January, they couldn’t have known that they would have to change their lives on a moment’s notice.

The COVID-19 pandemic has thrown countless obstacles in the way of our students’ education. The move to distance learning this semester was only the tip of the iceberg. Our students are now facing major financial and logistical hardships as well.

The full impact of the pandemic remains to be seen. But one thing is certain: students need our help to make it through this crisis.

For those of you who have led the way by making a gift already to the Student Emergency Support Fund, I cannot thank you enough.

But it is not too late to make your donation. In fact, there is no better time than now.

I urge you to make a gift now at https://alumni.buffalostate.edu/faculty-staff-appeal-2020.

The best part of working at Buffalo State is that we get to play a role in shaping our students’ futures. Now more than ever, we have the power to make a difference for our students together.

For more information, please contact Kate Lockhart, development coordinator, or Claire Collier, donor relations officer. Thank you.

At its February 14, 2020, meeting, the College Senate voted in favor of a resolution on the DOPS Policy for Upper Division Criteria and Collegewide Degree Requirements, Policy No. I:04:00, presented by the Standards for Students Committee:

ACTUAL DOPS POLICY LANGUAGE

BUFFALO STATE COLLEGE
DIRECTORY OF POLICY STATEMENTS
Policy Number: I:04:00
Date: September 2019
Subject: Collegewide Degree Requirements for Baccalaureate Degrees Intellectual Foundations (IF 2006) Program and Requirements

The Intellectual Foundations program, or general education, was implemented fall 2006 for undergraduate students entering Buffalo State who began college as freshmen on or after fall 2006 to spring 2014. A student who has been advised at his other previous school based on GE2K requirements can petition to be placed in General Education 2000 (GE2K) if it is advantageous for graduation.

The Intellectual Foundations program promotes an understanding of the continuity of human history, the depth of inherited knowledge, the validity of diverse modes of inquiry, the value of artistic expression, and the richness of our collective experience. The purpose of the Intellectual Foundations program is to develop the skills and habits of the mind required for a life of intellectual curiosity and civic engagement.

The courses that meet the Intellectual Foundations requirement are listed in the current Undergraduate College Catalog in the Collegewide Degree Requirements for Baccalaureate Degrees section. For current course listings, see http://intellectualfoundations.buffalostate.edu/.

Questions about the Intellectual Foundations requirements should be directed to a student’s department office or Academic Commons.

Categories and Credit Distribution after Provost Waivers

Students graduating in December 2014 or later will received Provost Waivers: The 3-credit Technology and Society requirement is waived and 3 credits in each of the four cognate areas (Arts, Humanities, Natural Science, and Social Science) are waived. These waivers are in addition to the previously granted waiver of BSC 101/301, for all students under the current Intellectual Foundations Program. Students do not need to apply for the waiver.

0-6 credit hours                   Basic Writing: CWP 101 and CWP 102 or equivalent 0-6 credit hours                                          Foreign Language: Proficiency at 102-level*

3 credit hours                      Cognate Foundations: Arts

3 credit hours                      Cognate Foundations: Humanities

3 credit hours                      Cognate Foundations: Natural Sciences

3 credit hours                      Cognate Foundations: Social Sciences

3 credit hours                      Foundations of Civilization: American History

3 credit hours                      Foundations of Civilization: Western Civilizations

3 credit hours                      Foundations of Civilization: Non-Western Civilizations 3 credit hours                                          Mathematics and Quantitative Reasoning**

3 credit hours                      Diversity+

3 credit hours                      Basic Oral Communication+

0-6 credit hours                   Writing across the Curriculum+

*Proficiency may be wholly or partially completed prior to college.

**Students cannot be exempted from this requirement. Students must complete MAT 097 or MAT 098 or the equivalent before taking the Mathematics and Quantitative Reasoning required course unless they have completed 3 years of high school math or attained an SAT math score of 460 or and ACT math score of 16.

+Can satisfy multiple requirements.

Intellectual Foundations (2014) Program and Requirements

The Intellectual Foundations 2014 program, or general education, is required of all new and transfer undergraduate students entering Buffalo State College summer 2014 and later.

The Intellectual Foundations program 2014 promotes an understanding of the continuity of human history, the depth of inherited knowledge, the validity of diverse modes of inquiry, the value of artistic expression, and the richness of our collective experience. The purpose of the Intellectual Foundations program is to develop the skills and habits of the mind required for a life of intellectual curiosity and civic engagement.

The courses that meet the Intellectual Foundations requirement are listed in the current Undergraduate College Catalog in the Collegewide Degree Requirements for Baccalaureate Degrees section. For current course listings, see http://intellectualfoundations.buffalostate.edu/.

Questions about the Intellectual Foundations requirements should be directed to a student’s department office or Academic Commons.

Categories and Credit Distribution

0-6 credit hours                   Basic Written and Oral: CWP 101 and CWP 102 or equivalent 0-6 credit hours      Global Engagement*: Foreign Language, Proficiency Exam,

Study Abroad, and/or Service Learning Options

3 credit hours                      Cognate Foundations: Arts**

3 credit hours                      Cognate Foundations: Humanities**

3 credit hours                      Cognate Foundations: Natural Sciences**

3 credit hours                      Cognate Foundations: Social Sciences**

3 credit hours                      Foundations of Civilization: American History

3 credit hours                      Foundations of Civilization: Western Civilizations

3 credit hours                      Foundations of Civilization: Non-Western Civilizations 3 credit hours                                          Mathematics and Quantitative Reasoning***+

3 credit hours                      Diversity+

0 credit hours                      Intellectual Skills & Competencies: Writing across the Curriculum 0 credit hours      Intellectual Skills & Competencies: Critical Thinking

0 credit hours                      Intellectual Skills & Competencies: Information Management

*Proficiency may be wholly or partially completed prior to college.

**Courses must be outside of the primary major prefix

***Students cannot be exempted from this requirement. Students must complete MAT 097 or MAT 098 or the equivalent before taking the Mathematics and Quantitative Reasoning required course unless they have completed 3 years of high school math or attained an SAT math score of 460 or and ACT math score of 16.

+Can satisfy multiple requirements.

Additional Degree Requirements

In addition to the general education coursework, all undergraduate degree candidates must meet the following collegewide graduation requirements:

• Successful completion of required coursework in the declared major.
• Successful completion of at least 120 credit hours, of which at least 45 must be upper division. At least 32 credits must be taken at Buffalo State College.
• Final minimum overall cumulative GPA of 2.0.
• Final minimum major GPA or 2.0.
• Final minimum cumulative GPA for courses taken in a minor is 2.0.
• Successful clearing of all I, N, or X grades.

Course Coding System

A character code is used to identify which Intellectual Foundations requirement(s) a course fulfills. The Intellectual Foundations 2006 codes are as follows:

Code                IF 2006 Requirement Area

7          =        Basic Writing

X          =        Mathematics/Quantitative Reasoning

J           =        Cognate Foundations: Arts

Q          =        Cognate Foundations: Humanities

K          =        Cognate Foundations: Natural Sciences

Y          =        Cognate Foundations: Social Sciences

I           =        Foundations of Civilizations: American History

4          =        Foundations of Civilizations: Western Civilization

5          =        Foundations of Civilizations: Non-western Civilization

L          =        Technology and Society

8          =        Diversity

P          =        Basic Oral Communication

W         =        Writing Across the Curriculum

F          =        Foreign Language

A four-character code is used to identify which Intellectual Foundations requirement(s) a course fulfills. The Intellectual Foundations 2014 codes are as follows:

Code                IF 2006 Requirement Area WO14  =                      Basic Written and Oral

MQ14   = Mathematics/Quantitative Reasoning AR14    =            Cognate Foundations: Arts

HU14    =          Cognate Foundations: Humanities NS14    =          Cognate Foundations: Natural Sciences SS14  =   Cognate Foundations: Social Sciences

AH14    =          Foundations of Civilizations: American History WC14  =          Foundations of Civilizations: Western Civilization

NW14  =          Foundations of Civilizations: Non-western Civilization DI14     =          Diversity

GE14    =          Global Engagement

Department (Major) Requirements

A major consists of no fewer than 24 credit hours and usually no more than 42 credit hours in a particular field of study. Each department sets its own requirements. To receive a degree in a particular major, students must complete at least 6 credit hours in their major at Buffalo State College. Courses and sequences of a major are determined by individual departments with the approval of the College Senate, Academic Affairs, and the President.

Second Majors and Minors

Courses selected to satisfy the general education requirements may be used to fulfill any part of the requirements of a second major or a minor.

Electives

The number of unrestricted elective courses varies according to the individual program. These courses are needed to make up the 120 credit hours required for graduation. Check the individual program requirements to determine the number of electives allowed. These courses are taken in addition to general education Intellectual Foundations (2006 or 2014) and departmental credit hours.

Global Engagement Requirement

Discuss this requirement with your academic adviser. Refer to the Quick Guide at https://intellectualfoundations.buffalostate.edu/sites/intellectualfoundations.buffalostate.edu/fil es/uploads/Fact%20Sheet%20for%20Students_Global%20Engagement_2.pdf for more information. Students can satisfy the Global Engagement requirement through four options:

Option        Description

Option 1      Study a Foreign Language

Option 2      Pass a Proficiency Exam at the Novice-High Level Option 3      Participate in a Study Abroad Experience

Option 4      Participate in a Global at Home and Abroad Experience (Service Learning)

For Option 1, students must demonstrate proficiency in a single foreign language equivalent to the successful completion of one year of college-level work (102-level proficiency or equivalent).

Students who have successfully completed foreign language study on the high school level may register for the appropriate course. Successful completion of one language through the second year in high school satisfies the global engagement requirement. Proficiency in a foreign language also may be achieved by completing 6 credits on the College-Level Examination Program test.

Upper Division Course Requirement

All students must complete a minimum of 45 credit hours of upper-division coursework (300 - 400 levels) to be eligible for graduation. An exception is made for foreign language courses. Specific information can be obtained through the appropriate major departments.

Intellectual Skills and Competencies

Writing, critical thinking, and information management represents a critical components of a Buffalo State education. The infusion of these skills and competencies into all types of courses across the curriculum is widely encouraged.

Basic Writing Requirement

The college requires all matriculated students to demonstrate college-level skills in composition.

Entering freshmen will be placed in the appropriate writing-level course through the College Writing Program’s placement policy. See http://writing.buffalostate.edu/ for the placement policy. Students are placed at one of the three levels:

CWP 099

CWP 101

CWP 102

Basic Writing Exemption

The writing program director will forward any basis writing exemptions to the registrar.

CWP 099 is a noncredit course and may not be used to meet any degree requirements. CWP 099, CWP 101, and CWP 102 will be graded on an A – E basis. A through D are officially passing grades; however courses with a prerequisite of CWP 101 or CWP 102 require a C or higher in the class. This means that a student cannot enroll in CWP 102 until he/she has earned at least a C in CWP 101. Course challenges will not be permitted.

Students who are considering taking a composition course at another institution that they expect will fulfill the Buffalo State basic writing requirement must seek prior permission from the College Writing Program Director. The basic writing requirement is usually completed by the end of the sophomore year.

Basic Writing Requirement for Transfer Students

If two composition courses equivalent to CWP 101 and CWP 102 are transferred, the basic writing requirement is satisfied. If one composition course equivalent to CWP 101 is transferred, the student must complete CWP 102. If no composition courses are transferred, the student must confer with an academic adviser and follow the requirement stated for freshmen. Transfer students must complete the basic writing requirement within their first 45 hours at Buffalo State College.

Basic Writing Requirement for International Students

International students registering at Buffalo State are required to take the placement examination administered by the College Writing Program if they do not have SAT/ACT scores. They must register for the appropriate College Writing Program course(s) designated for English as a Second Language (ESL) students. International students must complete the Basic Writing requirement before declaring a major. Information on these requirements and ESL instruction is available through the International Student Affairs Office. Individual and group supplemental instruction in English as a Second Language is available through the Academic Skills Center.

Graduation Requirements

The Registrar’s Office updated the graduation application process in December 2017. Undergraduate students are able to apply for graduation online through Banner Self-Service. Students are no longer required to drop off paper forms at Moot Hall. Graduate students should visit the Graduate School website for degree applications and information about applying for graduation. Students who apply for graduation after the application deadline will not be charged a fee.

After the application deadline has passed, the Registrar’s Office will review the records of students who have not applied for graduation but are likely to graduate and will administratively register these students for graduation. These students will be alerted via e- mail that they have been registered for graduation and that they may opt out of review for graduation by contacting the Registrar’s Office. All students expecting to qualify for a degree must fulfill the following requirements:

1. Meet all financial obligations to the college and return all college property.
2. Meet all curricular requirements. Students must have completed the prescribed curriculum for their major. If requirements have changed since they were admitted to a program, they may choose to graduate under the old or new requirements.
   a. Maintain a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0 for all coursework taken at the college. The minimum cumulative GPA for the courses taken in the major field must also be 2.0.
   b. Complete the 33-39 credit hours of Intellectual Foundations requirements.
   c. Completed a minimum of 45 credit hours of upper-division coursework, courses generally considered advanced and numbered 300 – 499.
   d. A minimum of 30 credit hours through the college.
   e. A minimum of 120 academic credit hours must be completed.
3. Education majors leading to certification for teaching in the early childhood and upper-elementary grades must fulfill a drug-education requirement and should file a certification application with the Teacher Certification Office.
4. No students will be cleared for graduation until all grades of I, N, or X have been replaced with an appropriate letter grade.

Undergraduate students can apply for graduation online through Banner Self-Service. Graduate students should visit the Graduate School website for degree applications and information about applying for graduation. Students who apply for graduation after the application deadline will not be charged a fee.

After the application deadline has passed, the Registrar’s Office will review the records of students who have not applied for graduation but are likely to graduate and will administratively register these students for graduation. These students will be alerted via e-mail that they have been registered for graduation and that they may opt out of review for graduation by contacting the Registrar’s Office.

I hereby accept the recommendation of the College Senate and charge the provost with responsibility for overseeing the implementation of this policy change and for communicating the change to the campus community.

 

At its February 14, 2019, meeting, the College Senate voted in favor of the following resolution brought forth by the College Senate Instruction and Research Committee (I&R) for a new DOPS Policy for Microcredentials:

WHEREAS, Buffalo State is committed to each student's success and the value of individualized learning; and

WHEREAS, Buffalo State is committed to supporting lifelong learning; and

WHEREAS, Buffalo State is committed to motivating students to persist; and

WHEREAS, Buffalo State is committed to provide a pathway to higher education; and

WHEREAS, Buffalo State is committed to students distinguish themselves in the marketplace,

THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that in accordance with the SUNY policy and our to mission* to empower students to succeed and to inspire a lifelong passion for learning that Buffalo State adopt a policy on microcredentials.

BUFFALO STATE COLLEGE
DIRECTORY OF POLICY STATEMENTS
Policy Number:      
Revised:
Subject: Microcredentials

Definition of Microcredentials

Microcredentials verify, validate, and attest that specific skills and/or competencies have been achieved and are endorsed by the issuing institution, having been developed through established faculty governance processes and designed to be meaningful and high quality.

Types of Microcredentials
SUNY Buffalo State recognizes four types of microcredentials that are covered by this policy. All microcredentials described below can be credit or non-credit bearing and stackable.

1. Curricular Microcredentials: Curricular microcredentials involve minimally 1 credit hour and no more than 15 credit hours, and may combine credit-bearing courses and non-credit-bearing activities. These microcredentials must be reviewed and approved through the regular process of curriculum approval for their level. These microcredentials may be awarded and found on a transcript or co-curricular document.
2. Professional Pathways: Mapped to skills and competencies desired in a particular professional field, these pathways generally include academic courses and experiential learning. Often they will be interdisciplinary. Specific academic assignments will be identified in each course that map to the skills and competencies identified for the particular professional field.
3. Skill and Competency Badges: Offered to current students and complementing the curriculum, these are smaller badges that help earners obtain and demonstrate skills. These badges can be stand-alone or built into a course.
4. Continuing Education Badges: Used for lifelong learning, professional training in collaboration with employers, or a smaller version of a larger graduate or certificate program.

Certificates of participation (participated in a workshop, training, or co-curricular activity external to a course) and external credentials (designed and administered by external organizations or vendors such as Lynda badges, Google Certification, Microsoft certification, mandated state or SUNY training), may be of value to SUNY Buffalo State and may be made available or required as part of some programs on campus. These are not covered by this policy. The use of gamification and badging within a course that do not lead to a SUNY Buffalo State microcredential is not covered by this policy.

Guiding Principles

The following guiding principles should be considered when proposing a microcredential:

• Academic quality is paramount and should reflect the standards guiding curriculum and assessment as defined and articulated by academic departments and schools and governed by the policies and procedures of the College Senate.
• Aligned with campus mission and strategic goals.
• Aligned with industry/sector standards designed to meet assessed market needs.
• Portable and have value beyond the institution.
• Stackable, which means that multiple microcredentials can be accumulated over time and could lead to credit bearing coursework, a more advanced badge, or a registered certificate.

Requirements

1. Anyone who is eligible to take the required credit or non-credit courses/programs or engage in the co-curricular activities may earn a microcredential. At the discretion of the faculty, the eligibility requirements might include a minimum GPA or other criteria for matriculated students, and/or an application process for non-matriculated students.
2. Microcredentials are awarded upon successful completion of the specific requirements for that credential.
3. Microcredentials should have clear, measurable outcomes, assessments aligned to the outcomes, and evidence of mastery of the outcomes through reliable and valid assessments.
4. Only credit bearing microcredentials may be stacked for credit.
5. SUNY Buffalo State microcredentials may or may not be transferable to other campuses.
6. Verification of successful completion of a microcredential may result in a grade within a course or a notation of satisfactory completion.

Approval Process

The department chair will submit the microcredential proposal via the online workflow management system. The microcredential proposal will be reviewed following the guidelines outlined in this policy.

Resources:

Microcredentials at SUNY

SUNY Taxonomy of Terms for Microcredentials

I hereby accept the recommendation of the College Senate and charge the provost with responsibility for overseeing the implementation of this policy change and for communicating the change to the campus community.

At its February 14, 2020, meeting, the College Senate voted in favor of a resolution on a new DOPS Policy for Open Access, brought by the College Senate Instruction and Research Committee. The resolution is below inclusive in this memo with the approved language.

WHEREAS, the State University of New York Board of Trustees and Chancellor’s Office issued the “Campus Open Access Policies” resolution requiring that each campus develop and adopt an open access policy that recognizes each campus’s unique mission and culture by no later than March 31, 2020; and

WHEREAS, the Buffalo State College Faculty recognize the importance of disseminating their research broadly, promoting equitable access to their scholarly output, and ensuring the long-term preservation of their work; and

WHEREAS, Buffalo State College faculty routinely produce scholarly and creative works that are of public interest, inform the works of other scholars, and promote scholarly activities in their respective fields; and

WHEREAS, the scholarly and creative works of Buffalo State College faculty are frequently published in leading journals, many of which have open access provisions; and

WHEREAS, access to scholarly journals has become increasingly cost-prohibitive for SUNY faculty, staff and students, and for the libraries that support them, and awareness of journal open access provisions and/or opportunities for shared resources that would increase access can be improved,

THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that Buffalo State College adopt the following policy for open access.

BUFFALO STATE COLLEGE
DIRECTORY OF POLICY STATEMENTS
Policy Number:                                                                                                     
Revised:
Subject: Open Access

In agreement with the SUNY Chancellor’s “Campus Open Access Policies and System Repository Resolution,” Buffalo State College Faculty (Faculty) recognize the importance of disseminating their research broadly, promoting equitable access to their scholarly output, and ensuring the long-term preservation of their work. In support of these goals, Faculty choose to make their scholarly journal articles available in the Buffalo State Repository (Digital Commons) or another open access repository.

Butler Library commits to providing the necessary ancillary services related to this policy. After an article is accepted for publication, Faculty who choose to deposit their work in the Buffalo State Repository, can provide the Library with an electronic copy of their full-text, peer-reviewed article manuscript and the Library will deposit it, respecting any restrictions imposed by academic publisher licensing agreements.

This policy places no restrictions or conditions on the journals in which Faculty publish; journal selection is entirely up to each faculty member. This policy applies to articles published by current Faculty after the effective date of this policy.

I hereby accept the recommendation of the College Senate and charge the provost with responsibility for overseeing the implementation of this policy change and for communicating the change to the campus community.

I am pleased to announce that Kristin Fields has accepted the position of director of Continuing Professional Studies. Since September 2019, Ms. Fields has served as interim director of Continuing Professional Studies, and before that, as a training coordinator with Learning, Engagement, and Development Services (LEADS, formerly CDHS) since 2010. Please join me in congratulating Ms. Fields and wishing her well in this leadership role.

 

At its April 10, 2020, meeting, the College Senate voted in favor of a revision to the DOPS Policy on Submission Guidelines for Internship Courses, Policy No. IV.02.02, presented by the College Senate Curriculum Committee.                                                                             

BUFFALO STATE COLLEGE
DIRECTORY OF POLICY STATEMENTS
Policy Number: IV.02.02                                                                      
Date: September 1981
SUBJECT: Submission Guidelines for Internship Course Proposal

In accordance with DOPS policy I:04:01 and 2016 SUNY Internships and Co-ops Guidelines an internship is a credit-bearing or non-credit bearing applied learning experience where a student receives structured workplace activities that align with their major or area of interest. Internship courses should be designed with the following guiding principles in mind:

1. Internship courses are designed to include three distinct parties: the student, faculty member, and a site supervisor
2. Internship courses provide an opportunity for a field experience to supplement and complement the academic programs of the college
3. Students work on learning outcomes in a workplace setting with the site supervisor and are also assessed and monitored by a faculty member
4. Internship courses provide a structure for responding to field experiences in the educational program of the student

Undergraduate Courses

The minimum required GPA for an undergraduate student to register for an internship course is 2.0. The prefix and code number to be used by any department proposing to offer an internship course will be:  XXX 488 as per DOPS policy I:04:01.

Graduate Courses

The minimum required GPA for a graduate student to register in an internship course is 3.0. The preferred prefix and code number is XXX 688.

Development of Internship Course Proposals

Each new or revised internship proposal must include all information that would be included in a new or revised course proposal. In addition to using the CSCC form and processes, the following components should be included in the appropriate section of the course proposal:  (1) a written learning agreement between the student, faculty supervisor, and the site supervisor that specifies all roles and responsibilities regarding academic objectives, field experience objectives, and the relationship between the academic and field experience components, and (2) mechanisms for preparation, orientation / training, continuous improvement, and structured self-reflection. The catalog description should list the course as per the following example: XXX 488 – Internship 1–15 credits.

Review of Internship Course Proposals

Internship course proposal will be reviewed by the guidelines provided by DOPS policy IV:02:00 on new and revised course proposals.

Credit Hours

Per Directory of Policy Statements I:10:00 internship courses can be 1 – 15 credit hours per semester that are determined by the department and approved by the CSCC. Recommended minimum hours:

1. Field work on the site – 30 - 40 hours per unit of credit
2. Academic component – 5 – 10 hours per unit of credit

It should be noted that positions in which the student receives a stipend or a salary may also be credit bearing. However, the rights of individual departments to impose their own policies concerning credit for a paid internship is recognized.

An individual student will be permitted to apply a maximum of fifteen (15) credit hours toward the baccalaureate degree.

Conversion:

Departments which now offer/require internships should bring them into compliance with the current guidelines. To determine the level of revision, refer to DOPS policy IV.09.00 “Course Number Change”. Student teaching and field work in education is not under the jurisdiction of this policy for internships, but follows the policies and regulations set forth by the state for educator preparation programs.

Reference:

State University of New York, University Faculty Senate, Internship Guide Subcommittee of the UFS Undergraduate Academic Program and Policies Committee, Internships and Co-ops: A Guide for Planning, Implementation, and Assessment (2016), https://www.suny.edu/media/suny/content-assets/documents/applied-learnin...(3.22.16).pdf.

I hereby accept the recommendation of the College Senate and charge the provost with responsibility for overseeing the implementation of this policy change and for communicating the change to the campus community.

At its April 10, 2020 meeting, the College Senate voted in favor of a resolution on a Supplemental DOPS Policy on Scholarship, Encouraging Approved Applied Research and Teaching, Policy No. VI:04:05, presented by the Instruction and Research Committee.

BUFFALO STATE COLLEGE
DIRECTORY OF POLICY STATEMENTS
Policy Number: VI:04:05     
Date: April 2020
Subject: Supplemental Policy on Scholarship Encompassing Applied Research, Scholarship of Teaching, and Community-Engaged Research and Scholarship

The intent of the following is to provide formal institutional recognition of a variety of forms of scholarly activity and products. This policy allows faculty the ability to exercise a variety of scholarly activities with effective evaluation by departments, deans, and the Office of Academic Affairs in personnel procedures. Neither this policy nor the definitions and guidelines included are intended to place added demands on faculty, but rather to provide faculty with additional scholarship options and opportunities. Nor are they intended to deny the authority and rights of departments in making personnel decisions, but rather to provide guidelines for evaluating the products of these new forms of scholarship.

PREAMBLE

At every stage of a career, faculty members have the responsibility to conduct scholarly work in order to contribute to the knowledge base from which the professorate promotes learning and discovery and extension of knowledge. A variety of scholarly activities can contribute to the intellectual vitality of Buffalo State College. Accomplishments that suggest continued growth and high potential can include but are not limited to these types of scholarship:

• Discipline-based research, including creative activities, interdisciplinary research, and multidisciplinary research
• Applied research
• Scholarship of teaching
• Community-engaged research
• Community-engaged scholarship

The areas of discipline-based research and creativity, applied research, scholarship of teaching, and community-engaged research and scholarship enter into the evaluation of faculty performance. Scholarly profiles will vary depending on an individual faculty member’s areas of emphasis. Discipline-based research, applied research, the scholarship of teaching, and community-engaged research and scholarship often overlap. It is more important to focus on criteria for evaluating the quality and significance of the work than on categories of work when evaluating an individual’s achievements.

Faculty in all departments may take on responsibilities of discipline-based research, applied research, scholarship of teaching, and community-engaged research and scholarship in differing proportions and emphasis according to their talents. Irrespective of the emphasis given to different activities, it is important that the quality of the scholarly product be rigorously evaluated and that the individual contribution of the faculty member further the advancement of the mission of the college.

Discipline-based research products can be evaluated in a straightforward fashion, for example, by considering publication in peer-reviewed journals or other peer-reviewed media. However, applied research, scholarship of teaching, and community-engaged research and scholarship products may be more difficult to evaluate. While applied and teaching scholarship may result in publication in peer-reviewed journals, in some cases their most significant products may take other forms. The following are recommended guidelines to be used by departments, deans, and the Office of Academic Affairs in evaluating the products of applied research, scholarship of teaching, and community-engaged research and scholarship. Neither this policy nor the definitions and guidelines included are intended to place added demands on faculty, but rather, to provide faculty with additional scholarship options and opportunities.  Nor are they intended to deny the authority and rights of departments in making personnel decision, but rather, to provide guidelines for evaluating the products of these new forms of scholarship.

DEFINITIONS

Discipline-based research is the systematic investigation of questions or problems relevant to one’s discipline. The primary goal is to make a substantive contribution to knowledge or culture. Discipline-based research may be a basis for interdisciplinary or multidisciplinary research, where professors from several disciplines together articulate and undertake research projects.

Creative activity is the creation and publication of original texts, the giving of performances, and the creation and display of art. Again, the primary goal is a substantive contribution to culture.

Applied research is the use of appropriate methodologies to address practical questions and policies, interventions, treatments, practices, programs, etc. It constitutes a professional activity that extends the basic characteristics of traditional scholarship into the realm of practical application.  It broadens scholarly activities to address immediate real-world problems and provide concrete products, results, or solutions within a reasonable time frame. Applied research may be interdisciplinary in nature.

The scholarship of teaching involves integrating the experience of teaching with the scholarship of research, producing a scholarly product out of those integrative activities. It is the ongoing and cumulative intellectual inquiry, through systematic observation and longitudinal investigation by faculty, into the impact of teaching and learning.

Community-Engaged Scholarship Community-engaged scholarship (CES) addresses community-identified needs through research, teaching and service in the creation and dissemination of knowledge and creative expression in furtherance of the mission and goals of the university and in a mutually beneficial collaboration with the community. The quality and impact of CES are determined by academic peers and community partners.

Community- Engaged Research: A collaborative process between the researcher and community partner that creates and disseminates knowledge and creative expression with the goal of contributing to the discipline and strengthening the well-being of the community. Participation is beneficial to all stakeholders, and utilizes and incorporates campus and community assets in the design and conduct of the research.

Peer review is the evaluation of a scholarly product by an editor or editorial board, review committee, publisher, critic, established scholar, or professional outside the scholar’s institution but authoritative in the scholar’s field.

Characteristics of discipline-based research, creative activity, applied research, and the scholarship of teaching consist of several features that characterize all scholarship. Scholarly products must be systematically documented and peer-reviewed in order to evaluate the quality of the contribution they make. Scholarship is typically related to the scholar’s discipline, but may be interdisciplinary in nature. It usually breaks new ground or is innovative. Scholarship can be replicated or elaborated upon. Scholarship can be significant in that it has an impact on practice or policy.

DOCUMENTATION

Documenting Scholarship for Evaluative Purposes

The accomplishments of faculty must be documented in order to be evaluated. Scholarly activities presented to review committees and used for review in personnel actions MUST RESULT IN A PRODUCT OR PUBLICATION THAT IS SUBJECTED TO PEER REVIEW.

Acceptable products would include books, chapters, articles, monographs, presentations, compositions, scripts, scores, commissions, as well as policy documents, studies, research, and reports for/with community organizations. The documentation must allow the department to evaluate the quality and significance of the undertakings. There also must be evidence that the product or publication had been subjected to peer review and judged a contribution to the field.  Some examples include:

• Publication in peer-reviewed journal.
• Peer review by established scholars and/or professionals within the discipline away from the campus.

Evidence of the replication of the work elsewhere or the dissemination of the results by professional or cultural organizations.

• Honors, awards, grants, or recognition received for the scholarly activity.
• Reviews by critics or other evidence that the scholarship has enriched the artistic and cultural life of the community.
• Evidence of effective presentation at community events, or publication or broadcast through media.
• Production of policy documents, studies, research, and reports directed toward service providers, policy makers, or legislators.

Departmental Responsibilities

The assessment of scholarly products is evaluative. An individual’s contribution to knowledge should be evaluated in the context of the quality and significance of the scholarship achieved. In order to conduct such evaluation, individual departments must develop criteria for determining the quality and significance of scholarly products. All members of the department should be involved in setting these criteria. The department chair is responsible for seeing that the criteria are employed during faculty evaluations.

Criteria for Evaluating Discipline-Based Scholarship, Creative Activity, Applied Research, Scholarship of Teaching, and Community-Engaged Research and Scholarship

The following criteria apply to all forms of scholarship. The bulleted information following numbers one through six demonstrates examples of ways these criteria might be exhibited in applied research and the scholarship of teaching.

1. Clarity and relevance of goals. A scholar should clearly define objectives of scholarly work, and clearly state basic questions of inquiry. The scholarship should address substantive intellectual, aesthetic, or creative problems or issues. Clarity of purpose provides a critical context for evaluating the scholarly work.

   • Applied research might aim to improve theoretical understanding of a significant social problem or situation OR assess the efficacy of knowledge or creative activities to implement changes within a particular context.

   • Scholars should provide a clear statement of need and relevance at the disciplinary and community levels.
    

2. Mastery of existing knowledge. A scholar must be well prepared and knowledgeable about developments in the field under study. Ability to educate others, conduct meaningful research, and use knowledge and skills to address problems depends on mastery of knowledge.
   • Applied researchers propose methodologies, measures, and interventions that reflect the theory, conceptualization, and cumulative wisdom of previous work.

   • Scholars of teaching demonstrate a command of resources that allows them, as researchers and educators, to respond adequately to student learning needs and to evaluate teaching and curriculum innovations, within agreed- upon boundaries.

   • Scholars will demonstrate how research, teaching and/or service is informed by a community’s input to foster development of knowledge, curriculum, pedagogy and/or policy development.
    

3. Appropriate use of methodology and resources. A scholar should address goals with carefully constructed logic and methodology.

   • Applied research requires well-constructed methodology that allows for assessment of the efficacy of the chosen project.

   • Scholars of teaching use appropriate methodology to evaluate the link between teaching and learning. This includes assessing the impact of the broader curriculum on student learning.

   • Community Engaged Scholarship can enhance rigor in research and teaching, facilitate study of issues not otherwise considered, and increase understanding of complex real-world issues in the classroom. Scholars should provide evidence to demonstrate that scientific rigor is maintained, or even enhanced, through community engaged approaches.
    

4. Effectiveness of communication. Scholars should possess effective oral and written communication skills that enable them to convert knowledge into language that a public audience can understand.

   • Applied researchers should disseminate the knowledge gained in order to share its significance with those not directly involved in the project.

   • Scholars of teaching should communicate with appropriate audiences to open their work to critical inquiry and independent review.

   • Scholars should provide examples of how they have effectively communicated and disseminated the knowledge they have gained through engaged scholarship to appropriate academic audiences, practice areas, community partners, and public audiences/forums.
    

5. Significance of results. Customarily peers, students, community members, and experts in the field assist scholars in evaluating whether or not their goals are met and whether or not their achievements are useful to others.

   • Applied research can make a difference by resolving relevant social problems or issues, facilitating organizational development, improving existing practice or policy, and enriching the cultural life of the community.

   • Scholars of teaching can make a difference by promoting understanding of, or resolving, relevant pedagogical problems or processes. Scholars also might engage in substantive theoretical reflection on the impact and merit of a particular course or program.

   • Scholars should explicitly state what knowledge they created or applied and what impact it has had or may likely have in the future. It is important to note here that "significant results" is intended to be broadly defined and not only "statistically significant results."
    

6. Consistently ethical behavior. Scholars should conduct their work with honesty, integrity, and objectivity. Ethical behavior includes following the college’s procedures for approving research (e.g., the Institutional Review Board) and properly crediting sources of information in reports and presentations of results. Scholars should foster a respectful relationship with students, community participants, peers, and others who participate in or benefit from their work.

Examples of Applied Research and Community-Engaged Research

Examples of activities in applied research and community-engaged research include but are not limited to the following. The products of such activities, to be considered scholarship, must be documented as stated in the Documenting Scholarship for Evaluative Purposes section of this document (i.e., MUST RESULT IN A PRODUCT OR PUBLICATION THAT IS SUBJECTED TO PEER REVIEW). Community-engaged research must clearly benefit the community.

1. Conducting a needs assessment or creating an evaluation report that results in data used by policy makers or organizations.
2. Using discipline-based knowledge or theories to facilitate significant change in organizations or institutions.
3. Planning, designing, and/or administering intervention programs to prevent or remediate persistent negative outcomes for groups or individuals.
4. Analyzing and designing policy for local government, business, nonprofit organizations, and community agencies that is adopted in written form  and implemented.
5. Carrying out and reporting regional ecological, meteorological, and other environmental studies that serve the community.
6. Conducting or directing a performance that contributes to the success of a community group or agency.
7. Developing models that enrich the artistic or cultural life of a community.
8. Developing or improving the products and processes of business and industry and publishing the scholarly products of such activities.

Examples of the Scholarship of Teaching and Community-Engaged Scholarship

Examples of activities in the scholarship of teaching and community-engaged scholarship include, but are not limited to the following. The products of such activities, to be considered scholarship, must be documented as stated in the Documenting Scholarship for Evaluative Purposes section of this document. (i.e., MUST RESULT IN A PRODUCT OR PUBLICATION THAT IS SUBJECTED TO PEER REVIEW).

1. Designing and publishing a data collection and analysis plan to assess the impact of a curriculum change on student learning.  Publishing that plan.
2. Creating a course portfolio that documents the development, implementation, and assessment of a course.
3. Producing a textbook that offers an innovative approach to organizing and communicating the knowledge in a field.
4. Preparing and designing educational software, video, or television programs that are successfully used in classrooms beyond that of the instructor who created them.
5. Developing educational support programs for high-risk or gifted students that have led to demonstrated positive results.
6. Creating a database for instructional use that results in or supports a written product.
7. Assessing impacts of community-engaged learning on student participants and community partners.

References

Diamond, R.M. (1993). Recognizing faculty work: Reward systems for the year 2000. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Glassick, C.E., Huber, M.T., & Maeroff, G.I. (1997). Scholarship assessed: Evaluation of the professorate.  San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Hutchings, P. & Shulman, L.S. (1999). The scholarship of teaching: New elaborations, new developments.  Change, 31(5) 10 – 14.

Jordan, C. (ed). Community-Engaged Scholarship Review, Promotion & Tenure Package. Peer Review Workgroup, Community-Engaged Scholarship for Health Collaborative, Community-Campus Partnerships for Health, 2007.

Portions of this document are reproduced from the Portland State University Policies and Procedures for the Evaluation of Faculty for Tenure, Promotion, and Merit Increases, May 17, 1996, with the permission of Deborah Lieberman, Vice Provost and Special Assistant to the President (September 11, 2002).

Connecticut Campus Compact Engaged Scholarship Advisory Committee. Framework for Community Engaged Scholarship. Connecticut Campus compact. Fairfield, CT: Connecticut Campus Compact, 2012.

I hereby accept the recommendation of the College Senate and charge the provost with responsibility for overseeing the implementation of this policy change and for communicating the change to the campus community.

At its April 10, 2020 meeting, the College Senate voted in favor of a resolution on a revision to the DOPS Policy on Leave of Absence, Withdrawal from College, Policy No. I:07:00, presented by the Standards for Students Committee.                                                         

BUFFALO STATE COLLEGE
DIRECTORY OF POLICY STATEMENTS
Policy Number: I:07:00
Updated: December 2016
Subject: Leave of Absence, Withdrawal from College

The Undergraduate Application for Leave of Absence/Withdrawal from College form can be obtained in the Academic Advisement Office or in the student’s academic department office. Students in a major should begin the application process by conferring with their department chair. Undeclared students should meet with the coordinator of the Academic Advisement Office.

Refunds of tuition, if applicable, will be made on a prorated basis as outlined in the class schedule for that semester.

Financial aid recipients who withdraw or take a leave of absence may owe a refund of aid they received for the semester. For additional information about financial aid, contact http://financialaid.buffalostate.edu/

Leave of Absence

Matriculated undergraduate and graduate students who wish to leave the college for academic, financial, medical, military, or personal reasons may be granted leaves of absence for the fall or spring semesters only. 

A leave of absence (LOA) is a temporary interruption in a student’s program of study. An LOA cannot exceed 180 days in any 12-month period and may have a serious impact on a student’s financial aid.  Any student who received financial aid and is considering an LOA should consult with the Financial Aid Office before LOA approval to determine how their aid will be affected (e.g., grace period, repayment, failure to return as stipulated, etc.).

In accordance with federal regulations, 34 CFR 668.22 (d), the following criteria outlines the requirements to process an approved LOA:

• The student must submit a completed Leave of Absence form for approval.  The form must state the reason(s) for the LOA request. An LOA cannot be granted for academic reasons (i.e. to keep a student from failing).

  » If a student submits a leave of absence before the start of a semester, the leave will start on the first day of the next semester (fall or spring).

  » If a student wishes to take a leave of absence during a semester already in progress, they must submit the paperwork no later than the last day to drop without financial penalty.  No leaves of absences will be granted after that date.

  » Retroactive leave of absence requests will not be approved.

  » Students can automatically remove their leave of absence status by registering for the semester in which they had originally planned to take a leave or for the following semester after the approved leave of absence.
   

• There must be reasonable expectation that the student will return from LOA. A student granted an LOA is not to be considered withdrawn and no return of Title IV calculation is required.

  » Student borrowers are given a six-month grace period on most types of federal loans starting at the date enrollment ceases. During this time, lenders will treat the borrower’s loans as if the borrower were still enrolled in school full-time

  » Once a grace period is used on a specific loan, it will not be given again.

  » At the end of this six-month grace period, the student will be required to enter repayment on their federal educational loans until they return to school; however, deferment or forbearance options may be available if the student makes a request to their lender.
   

• A student returning from an LOA must resume training at the same point in the academic program that they began the LOA.

  » Students who change their majors when they return will be required to meet the curriculum of the new program in place at the time of their return.
   

• If a student does not register for classes within the 180 days requirement, the student is considered to have ceased attendance from the institution and a title IV return of funds calculation is required if the student received federal aid.
   
• When a student returns from an LOA, the institution may not assess the student any additional institutional charges relative to reinstatement.

  »Students on an approved leave of absence that fail to return (for any reason) will be inactivated at the end of the following semester (fall or spring) and must apply for readmission to the college when they are interested in resuming their progress toward a degree.

  »Students who are not enrolled for three consecutive semesters will be readmitted using the catalog year of their readmittance.
   

• Students who do not register for courses for the semester after their leave expires will be deactivated as students and must apply for readmission to the college when they are interested in resuming their progress toward a degree.
   
• Upon return from a leave of absence, students will be allowed to complete the program requirements in place at the time they took the leave of absence. Students should seek financial aid eligibility consultation and academic advisement before registering for courses for their return semester.

Withdrawal from College

To maintain good academic standing and eligibility for readmission to the college, students finding it necessary to withdraw must do so officially. Failure to file for withdrawal will result in the recording of an E grade in each course in which the student is registered. When it is impossible to withdraw in person, it must be done in writing from the student to the Dean.

Students withdrawing officially with no outstanding obligations or commitments to the college are considered to be in good academic standing.

The Chair and Associate Dean must sign the Withdrawal from College form. A request to withdraw from the college must be received in the Registrar’s Office no later than the last working day before the Critique and Evaluation Period.

I hereby accept the recommendation of the College Senate and charge the provost with responsibility for overseeing the implementation of this policy change and for communicating the change to the campus community.

At its April 10, 2020 meeting, the College Senate voted in favor of a resolution on a revision to DOPS Policy on Intellectual Foundations Courses, Policy No. IV: 12:00, presented by the College Senate Curriculum Committee.

BUFFALO STATE COLLEGE
DIRECTORY OF POLICY STATEMENTS
Policy Number: IV: 12:00 
Date: July 23, 2008
Subject: Intellectual Foundations Courses

The process for submitting courses for approval as part of the Intellectual Foundations Program is as follows:

1. Use the Intellectual Foundations (IF) Narrative form to explain the correspondence between the Intellectual Foundations learning outcomes and the course topical outline. Forms can be found at the College Senate Curriculum Committee (CSCC) website.
2. All new or revised curriculum proposals and the Intellectual Foundations Narrative form shall be  submitted via the online workflow management system.
3. A report notifying the initiator (person who initiates the proposal in the online workflow management system) of the Intellectual Foundations designation (approval, approval with revisions, or rejection) will appear in the online workflow management system.
4. The CSCC conducts independent reviews of new and revised course proposals as per Directory of Policy Statement IV.02.00. The Senate Intellectual Foundations Oversight Committee (SIFOC) conducts a parallel review of course proposals  for appropriateness in specific Intellectual Foundations (IF) categories.
5. Proposals that are rejected for specific IF categories will be returned to the initiator  with the CSCC feedback via the online workflow management system. Departments may submit revised IF narratives in the same IF category or a new category via the online workflow management system.
   • Proposals that are ejected for a specific IF category that are resubmitted in a new IF category should be accompanied by a course revision proposal that can be independently reviewed in the online workflow management system.
6. Courses that are approved for a specific IF category will remain in that category so long as that category’s learning outcomes do not change and the course continues to meet those learning outcomes.

I hereby accept the recommendation of the College Senate and charge the provost with responsibility for overseeing the implementation of this policy change and for communicating the change to the campus community.

At its April 10, 2020, meeting, the College Senate voted in favor of a resolution on an addition to the DOPS Policy on Grading, Policy No. I:16:03, presented by the Instruction and Research Committee.

BUFFALO STATE COLLEGE
DIRECTORY OF POLICY STATEMENTS
Policy Number: I:16:03
Date:  Updated April 2020
Subject: Policy on Grading

The college used letter grades to indicate the status of a student at the completion of a course. All grades are awarded at the sole discretion of the faculty member responsible for the course. A grade must be submitted for every student on the course roster at the end of the semester. Students will be apprised of evaluation policies in each class at the beginning of every semester. This information will also include notification, where appropriate, that the plus/minus grading system will be used as determined by the instructor. Instructors will inform students of their standing in each course by the end of the ninth week of the semester or two-thirds of a summer session or intersemester. Questions regarding grading policies or an individual grade received in a particular course should be addressed to the instructor or to the department chair.  

Grades Awarded by the College:

A = Superior        

A-           

B+           

B = Above Average for undergraduate coursework; average for graduate coursework. B or 3.0 GPA is required minimum cumulative for graduate coursework.       

*B-           

*C+           

*C = Average        

**C-           

**D+           

**D = Below Average        

**E = Failure or Unofficial Withdrawal from a Course    

**EV = Failure, never attended 

S =  Satisfactory  

SD = Satisfactory with Distinction     

U = Unsatisfactory        

P = Pass; may not be given for graduate coursework       

F = Fail; may not be given for graduate coursework

* Note: courses with a grade of B-, C+ or C are below required average for graduate coursework, but may be used to meet graduate program degree requirements

** Note: courses with a grade of C- or below cannot be used to meet graduate program degree requirements

Letters Used to Indicate Status:

 I = Incomplete 

IP = In Progress

N = Grade Delayed

NR = Grade Not Required        

X = Grade Not Submitted       

W = Withdrawal

Explanation of Grades:

S (satisfactory) and U (unsatisfactory) grades are reserved for graduate theses, student teaching or other field experiences that are not readily evaluated by the normal letter grades and basic skills courses.

SD (Satisfactory with Distinction) is reserved for graduate theses. S, SD and U grades may be given only for courses so designated.

P (pass) and F (fail) grades are given for undergraduate courses taken on a pass/fail basis. They may be submitted only under proper authorization. Pass and Fail grades may not be used for graduate coursework.

W (withdrawal) grades may be submitted only when a student has formally withdrawn from a course.

I (incomplete) grades may be submitted only when the department chair or program coordinator has been properly notified. An instructor may submit a grade of I (Incomplete) only when circumstances leading to a student’s failure to complete course requirements are known to be beyond the student’s control (e.g., serious illness or unavailability of material). The student must complete course requirements and the instructor must submit a grade change by the 10th week of the following spring or fall semester or the grade automatically converts to an E (Failure).  In the event that the instructor who granted the I grade is unable to evaluate whether the student has fulfilled the course requirements during the stipulated time period, the chair or program coordinator takes responsibility for evaluating the student’s work and changing the grade.

IP (in progress) grade of IP is reserved for graduate students who have not completed their thesis or project requirements. When work is completed, the instructor submits a grade change, replacing the IP grade with a final grade. If an instructor does not submit a final grade by the end of the second additional semester, the "IP" grade will automatically be recorded as an "E" or “U” unless an incomplete extension (722) is filed. A grade of N (Grade Delayed) may not be submitted for a thesis or project.      

N (grade delayed) grades may be given when research work or an internship carries over from one semester to another and when it is necessary to delay grading to a subsequent semester. N grades may be submitted only with the permission of the department chair or program coordinator. A grade of N (Grade Delayed) may not be used for a graduate thesis or project course.

NR (grade not required) grade of NR is reserved for, and must be submitted for, any graduate level 721 Thesis/Project Continuation or 722 Thesis/Project Extending Course.

Incomplete Grades

An incomplete grade is a temporary grade issued for medical emergencies or life crisis or for planned extensions of undergraduate projects and studies. Students must request an incomplete grade directly from the instructor. An incomplete grade is converted to a letter grade by the 10th week of the following spring or fall semester. If the work is not completed by that time, the instructor will submit a grade based upon the amount of work completed. If the instructor who granted the incomplete is not able to evaluate the student’s fulfillment of course requirements during the stipulated time period, the chair or program coordinator is responsible for changing the grade. Anyone not completing the course requirements within this time will automatically have a grade of E recorded.  

Pass/Fail Option
The pass/fail option permits any matriculated student to take an undergraduate course for credit without receiving a letter grade of A, B, C, D, E, or EV. The pass/fail option cannot be used for graduate courses. Students may enroll in one course each semester or summer on a pass/fail basis. All sessions combined make up the summer semester. A pass (P) grade provides credit but no quality points and is not counted in total hours used to determine cumulative average. A fail (F) grade is treated as a failure although the hours are not used in computing the cumulative average.

A pass/fail credit may be applied toward an undergraduate degree. Courses required for the student’s major and minor cannot be taken on a pass/fail basis. Courses taken as part of early childhood and childhood education program concentrations and distributions may not be taken pass/fail.

Any undergraduate course, except English composition 100-level courses and those required for completion of a major or a minor, may be taken on a pass/fail basis. Students must declare their intention to do so by the end of the 10th week of classes in any semester or after two-thirds of a Summer Session or January Term. After receiving the approval signature of the student’s adviser, a declaration of intent must be filed with the Registrar’s Office, Moot Hall, by the published deadline. An instructor may choose to substitute a letter grade for the pass if written consent from the student is received and the form is submitted before the end of the semester. Once an application for pass/fail has been submitted, the pass/fail option for that semester has been exhausted. Subsequent filing of a substitution form to receive a letter grade does not allow submission of another pass/fail application for that semester.

Students may not use pass/fail to repeat an undergraduate course for which a grade of C- or below was earned.

Note: Students are cautioned that the amount of pass/fail work permitted may jeopardize their chances for admission to graduate or professional school or for career placement.

Change of Grade
Grades submitted at the end of the semester are considered final. In case of a clerical error or other extenuating circumstance resulting in an incorrect grade, a request for a grade change must be submitted by the instructor, with full written justification, to the appropriate Associate Dean. See DOPS I:16:07 Change of Grade Policy

I hereby accept the recommendation of the College Senate and charge the provost with responsibility for overseeing the implementation of this policy change and for communicating the change to the campus community.