Present: Chair Kurt Fosso, Kevin Holloway, Barbara Balko,
Alicia Gilbert, Deborah Lycan, Michael Ford, Michael Sexton, Dell
Smith, Glendi Gaddis, Ashley Schmitt (invited), Sharon Barnes
(secretary)
Absent: Shannon Benfield-Blankenship, Greg Caldwell, Kristi
Williams, Dale Holloway
Chair Kurt Fosso opened the meeting at 3:10. The minutes of September
9, 1998 were approved.
Subcommittee Reports
The Academic Standing Subcommittee will meet the first week
of January. Barbara Balko reported that the membership of Petitions
and Waivers is Tatiana Osipovich, Bill Kinsella, Alicia Gilbert and
Dell Smith. Deborah Lycan asked for clarification of the process to
get subcommittee members for Honors and Awards. The process is to ask
the Divisional Deans for recommendations to the committee.
Changes Recommended in Academic Policy
Ashley Smith, chair of the College Honor Board addressed the
AAAS Committee. She said the College Honor Board would like a change
in the academic integrity policy to have all academic integrity cases
come before the board. Currently some come before the board and some
are handled directly by the professor. There is no consistency in the
manner in which the cases are resolved. Ashley said that having all
cases treated consistently by having them come before the College
Honor Board would create a fundamental fairness in that all cases
would be treated equally. Michael Ford pointed out that the college
is given additional sanction for action by having all cases go to a
College Honor Board hearing. He also said that students who are
accused of cheating would be embarrassed by coming before a board of
their peers to be judged, and thus would not be inclined to cheat
again. The experience of going before the Honor Board is a traumatic
but fair experience.
Kurt Fosso opened up the discussion to the committee. Deborah said
there are three factors to take under consideration: 1) the
seriousness of the offense, 2) faculty time, and 3) burden of
proof.
Michael Sexton asked how many were repeat offenders of the 21 cases
that went before the Honor Board? Michael Ford replied that there
were none. There is no breakdown on the report distributed to the
AAAS committee on what the offense or action for the 21 cases, i.e.,
plagiarism, forging signatures.
Kevin is concerned about the classroom dynamics in bringing forward
an academic integrity case -- does the class get involved? Kevin also
wanted to know how does one determine the point at which paraphrasing
too closely is an offense.
Ashley said this is proposed to become a College-wide policy. By
appearing before the Board, the seriousness of the offense is
reinforced.
Michael Ford said there are huge differences between how people
interpret the academic integrity policy statement. Academic integrity
is treated in very different ways for similar offenses. Faculty use
their own discretion to act -- similar to civil court procedure by
the preponderance of evidence. In class, academic integrity policy
should be given the first day and/or printed on the syllabus. This is
being done by some and not by other faculty members.
Barbara Balko asked, how to prove academic dishonesty without a
preponderance of evidence? Deborah Lycan said many times we can't
prove it, but it is obvious. Kevin Holloway questions integrity when
there is a radial improvement. What does one do? Pull entire class
before Honor Board?
How do members get on the board? Names are submitted by the CAS Dean
to SAAB who appoints students to the board.
Registrar Dell Smith asked, how are records kept for sanction on
students. Ashley said they do go through the Dean of Students. Kevin
said this is a good proposal; that it increases the consistency of
punishment.
Deborah Lycan asked, as the AAAS Committee, what is our role? Ashley
Schmitt replied that with this committee's approval along with the
SAAB recommendation gives additional credence to the proposal with
the faculty at the faculty meeting. Jane Atkinson told Ashley that
the AAAS Committee was the proper place to start getting approval for
this change.
Some wording changes were recommended for the proposal. Alicia
Gilbert commented that this proposal gives the professor no choice of
whether or not to bring up a case of academic dishonesty. Michael
Ford said that by adopting this policy as a college-wide policy, it
holds students accountable for their actions and gives sanction to
faculty for giving failing grades in cases of academic dishonesty. He
also said that procedural changes will be made to the policy.
Michael Ford said that the Registrar will be notified when an F grade
is for the class, not just on an assignment. Kevin Holloway said that
in all cases, faculty will determine the extent of the grade penalty,
then will notify the Registrar. The Registrar will record NG pending
the Honor Board hearing. The Honor Board can recommend a penalty
grade, but the faculty member still makes the decision for a
grade.
MOTION PASSED to recommend and support proposed
changes to Academic Policy to have all academic integrity cases go
before the Honor Board.
Academic Honors
The following have been adopted for Latin Honors:
3.9-4.0 summa cum laude
3.8-3.899 magna cum laude
3.7-3.799 cum laude
Registrar Dell Smith said that timing factors still need to be
considered in order to implement Latin Honors. How are they
announced? Do they get announced at Commencement before grades are
submitted?
Some ways Latin Honors are done in other institutions:
Dell could print up an addendum. The AAAS Committee recommends
putting a disclaimer on the printed material for Latin Honors. Dell
will outline and bring the issues back to AAAS Committee at the
November meeting.
MOTION PASSED to place only Departmental Honors and Latin Honors on the diploma.
Phi Beta Kappa and Phi Kappa Phi are external honors and will not
be placed on diplomas but will be on transcripts. Department honors
will be placed on diplomas and transcripts along with Latin Honors
because the College bestows both of these honors.
Kevin Holloway expressed concern that the attendance portion on the
advising pads could put the professor and school at risk for not
taking attendance. Glenda Gaddis said that actually this cuts down on
the college risk by compelling professors to report when students
stop attending classes. Financial Aid and the Cashier are legally
involved. They need to know when students stopped going to class -- a
date affects Financial Aid and the Cashier in a major way. This is
the softest way not to put the college in jeopardy.
Kurt Fosso said future agenda items will include 1) Latin Honors, 2)
what happens when students don't meet standards. 3) Glenda and Dell
said to look at matriculation in respect to matriculation, to review
the college's admission procedures. 4) advising --what and how needs
to be evaluated. What role does advising plan in faculty
evaluation?
Meeting adjourned at 4:50. Next AAAS meeting is November 11, 1998 at
3:00 in Thaxter 3.