The Faculty Senate meeting today will discuss the proposed policy to limit the number of classes from which a student may withdraw to five.
According to the March 25 agenda, the Education Policy Committee believes this policy should address the problem of “course shopping.”
Course shopping occurs when students overload themselves with hours, and in the beginning of the semester, drops classes that they don’t want to take after the 5-day drop/add period.
The proposed policy, named the “5 ‘W’ Policy,” would be effective in the fall of 2010. If approved, students will have a five-withdrawal limit from their entire enrollment at VSU. All withdrawals after will be recorded as WF. The WF will be calculated as an F for GPA purposes.
The limit on withdrawals does not apply if a student withdraws from all classes before the midterm point of the semester. Withdrawals taken in the semester before fall of 2010 and other withdrawals from other institutions will not count.
Furthermore, withdrawals for medical or mental hardship and military withdrawals will not count towards the five withdrawal grades.
The current policy allows students to withdraw from courses following the drop/add period until midterm on the BANNER website. If a withdrawal occurs after midterm, the student may petition for an exception to the Board of Regents to avoid getting a WF. If the petition is approved, the instructor will assign a grade of a W. WF is calculated in the grade point average as an F.
Students have the opportunity to attend the meeting today at 3:30 p.m. at the Magnolia Room at the University Center. Also on the meeting agenda are moving annual evaluations of administrators from the traditional print to a web format and the election of the senate’s 2010-2011 Executive Secretary