|
Committee on Admissions, Awards
& Academic Standing (AAAS)
Meeting Minutes
December 3, 2001
Present: Chair
Professor John Krussel, Assistant Professor Andrew Cortell,
Associate Professor Bethe Scalettar, Student Lindsay Kohn,
Registrar Dell Smith, Coordinator of Academic Advising
Kristi Williams, Dean of Students Jonathan Eldridge,
Director of Student Financial Services Glendi Gaddis, Dean
of Admissions Michael Sexton, and Recorder Sharon Barnes
Chair John Krussel called the meeting to order. The
minutes from November were approved as corrected.
Proposal for Students on Academic Warning or
Probation
Dean of Students Jonathan Eldridge submitted a request
that the AAAS Committee consider a proposal for students on
warning or probation to write a paper reflecting on what
went wrong, and to write a plan of goals to improve their
performance. He showed a draft proposal to accompany the
letter sent to first-year students who are in academic
trouble. His handout also requires the student to meet with
his/her advisor. This is a method to help students
understand what went wrong, and to help correct their
behavior. Right now, few of these students are
internalizing and reflecting on what they were doing to get
them into academic trouble. Strategies need to be developed
to be successful at L&C.
Dean of Admissions Michael Sexton said this strategy
might help with retention of these students.
Director of Student Financial Services Glendi Gaddis said
that students who have lost their financial aid due to low
academic achievement could appeal to regain their financial
aid. The appeal process includes making satisfactory
academic progress, and Student Financial Services monitors
them. Students must write an academic action plan and
commit to it. They must meet with their academic
advisor.
There is a huge success correlation with students who
write an academic plan versus those who do not. Catching
students having academic difficulty early on in their
academic career at L&C gives them a better chance for
success.
Coordinator Williams and Registrar Smith said that
Bridget Buckley, Facilitator for First Year Student
Transition could perhaps meet with each of the students to
make sure they understand the assignment and to receive the
papers by the deadline. The committee suggested the handout
be more specific with the instructions to ask students to
write a paper, to meet with Ms. Buckley, and to meet with
their academic advisor to reflect about what went wrong, and
consider methods of correction. Dean of Students Eldridge
will meet with the Student Support Network again to refine
the handout.
Professor Andrew Cortell has reservations about whether
or not asking students to write an extra paper will be
beneficial. They already have a lot of work at the
beginning of the semester, especially in Inventing America.
It would be better to have the essay due upon returning to
school. Also, reflective material does not need a page
requirement. If the essay is not reflective enough, have
the student do more work on it. Professor Cortell endorsed
having all of the essays read by the same person in order to
achieve continuity.
|
