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Committee on Admissions, Awards,
and Academic Standing
Meeting Minutes
November 5, 2001
Present: Chair
John Krussel, Andrew Cortell, Phyllis Yes, Bethe Scalettar,
Lindsay Kohn, Lakin Soldate, Dell Smith, Kristi Williams,
Glendi Gaddis, Michael Sexton, and Recorder Sharon
Barnes
Chair John Krussel called the meeting to order. The
minutes from October were approved.
Andrew Cortell reported that the Petitions and Waivers
Subcommittee had met and conducted business.
Advising
There have been 75 responses to the advising survey
distributed to the faculty. Coordinator of Academic
Advising Kristi Williams will coordinate with Assistant
Registrar Jay Beaman to finish the parallel survey designed
for students. They would like to distribute the student
survey at the beginning of spring semester.
Admissions
Dean of Admissions Michael Sexton said there would be an
open house for about 200 prospective students and their
parents this coming weekend. He is concerned about the
economy and people not wanting to fly. We will know more in
a few weeks after the early decision deadline of many
selective colleges. Factors in getting smaller numbers of
applicants include:
- the lower discount rate than many competitors
- seeking to increase the quality of students by
changing the mix and raising the lower end. Results are
getting one out of five instead of one out of four
applicants.
- L&C financial aid packages are not as good as
some of our like institutions. For instance,
Willamette's discount rate is almost 20% higher than
ours.
Online promotion has helped in getting more applicants
sooner. Athletics has full time coaches who are doing a
good job of recruiting. There are no specific packages or
scholarships for athletes. Student Financial Services
Director Glendi Gaddis has to submit an annual report to all
other league members on the financial aid of student
athletes. Count of enrolled students taken as of October 1
is down this year. Twelve Middle Eastern students went
home.
Leave of Absence Policy and Transfer Credits
The AAAS Committee revisited the leave of absence policy
to determine if it is still appropriate for Lewis &
Clark College. Registrar Dell Smith distributed a draft
handout, which is designed to distribute to students who are
requesting leaves of absence. Information on this handout
was pulled from the student handbook and college
catalog.
Lewis & Clark College's policy of a one-year limit on
leaves of absence does not fit with the 180 day (six
continuous months) Federal grants for student loan
borrowers. Students are counseled by the Student Financial
Services office and by the Cashier when they are seeking
leaves of absence.
Registrar Smith would like the AAAS Committee to look at
adding two items to the current leave of absence policy: 1)
students must be in good academic standing, and 2) students
must be in good financial standing (monies owed the
College).
Readmission is not necessary for a person who has been on
a leave of absence. People who have left without a formal
leave of absence or withdrew and would like to return to
L&C are required to submit a letter of readmission, fill
out an academic plan for the remainder of their education at
L&C, and if applicable, submit a transcript of course
grades. Registrar Smith and Dean of Students Jonathan
Eldridge make decisions on readmission applications.
L&C accepts up to 68 transfer credits toward a degree.
Students on leaves of absence are not allowed to register
until they are readmitted.
There are several reasons students seek leaves of
absence. Two most common ones are financial and overseas
study through another institution. Some types of leaves of
absence include: 1) students in good standing (for a
variety of reasons), 2) non financial leave of absence, 3)
probationary leave, 4) withdrawal, never intending on
returning. Sometimes it is a better service in helping
people leave rather than encouraging them to stay when they
are unlikely to succeed.
Students who are not in good academic standing are those
who fall below the 2.0 GPA and those who complete less than
12 credits in a semester. The Academic Standing
Subcommittee is placing students on probation quicker.
There are about 12-15 students per semester put on warning,
and 20-30 on warning at any one time. Approximately
one-half of the students on leave do not return to L&C.
Students cannot register without making arrangements for an
unpaid bill. There are 3-10 students returning a semester.
Should the College require a leave of absence fee, with a
portion refunded when the student returns? A fee must be
approved by Academic Council and by the Board of Trustees.
A suggestion was made to figure what a leave of absence
costs the college in human resource time and other
costs.
MOTION PASSED: To include language in the leave of
absence policy to require students to be in good academic
standing before granting leaves of absence.
The AAAS Committee would like to get a good understanding
of what constitutes "good financial standing." Students
must have made payment arrangements for outstanding balances
in order to register for a subsequent semester.
There are problems with students declaring double majors.
In some instances one major gets erased. There are
problems in the Colleague system in how it lists the
major.
The next AAAS meeting will be Monday, December 3 at 3:00
p.m. Meeting adjourned.
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