Proposal for Changes in Policies Governing Student Enrollment Changes

(March 2011)

 

Philosophy behind the Proposed Changes:

 

A)    Research at OU and across universities suggests that excessive dropping of classes is detrimental to academic progress, retention, and graduation.

 

B)    The proposed changes will encourage students to fully commit to courses, instead of thinking that they can drop an unlimited number of courses later in the semester or change to Audit status. This commitment should result in more academic engagement and better retention of students.

 

C)     Setting a limit to the number of courses a student may drop promotes a university-wide culture that dropping a course is a serious decision with definite impacts on academic progress and, more important, should be pursued sparingly.

 

D)    The proposed changes in the drop limit will remove faculty from the process of assessing whether students requesting to drop a class or change to Audit status are passing or failing the class during the sixth to tenth weeks of the semester. This promotes integrity in the grading process and consistency across the institution.

 

E)     The proposed change in the Audit Policy is necessary to prevent students from changing to Audit status as a back door route to withdraw from classes without getting a W grade. Students under the proposed change could freely change from credit to audit during the first two weeks of classes (first week of the summer term). However, auditing would no longer be a vehicle for students to effectively drop a class later in the semester.

 

F)     After the five-drop limit has been reached, exceptions will be provided to address extenuating and unique circumstances.

 

 

I.          Implementation of a Career Five-Drop Limit

 

A student would be allowed only five grades of W throughout the course of his/her undergraduate career at The University of Oklahoma. Once a student reaches this maximum number of W grades, he/she will not be allowed to drop any courses after the two-week “free drop” period.

 

After the five-drop limit has been reached, students with extreme, extenuating circumstances may apply for an exception to the limit on W grades through the Office of the Provost.

 

In addition, the time period for an Automatic Grade of W for Dropped Courses(s) would be extended to the end of the 10th week. Add/Drop Details would change as follows:

 

Details of the Proposed Changes to the Add/Drop Policy:

 

(Changes in schedule, retaining at least one course – Fall and Spring Terms Only)

 

100% Reduction of Charges on Dropped Courses                       1st two weeks of classes

 

No Reduction of Charges on Dropped Courses                After last day of 2nd week

 

No Record of Grade on Dropped Course                          1st two weeks of classes

 

Final Day to Register and Add a Class                                Last day of 1st week

 

Automatic Grade of W for Dropped Course(s)                 3rd week to end of 10th week

 

Petition to College Dean to Drop Course(s)

(Instructor’s Signature and Grade of W or F Required)  11th week to end of 15th week

 

 

II.        Change in Policy on Complete Withdrawals

 

Because complete withdrawals often stem from extenuating circumstances, complete withdrawals will not be counted against the proposed five-drop limit. The automatic grade of W on complete withdrawals would be extended through the end of the 10th week.

 

Details of Proposed Change to the Complete Withdrawal Policy (Dropping all courses for a semester)

 

Cancellation Deadline                                                           Friday prior to 1st day of classes

(No record of grade on transcript)

 

Complete Withdrawal
(100% reduction of charges)                                              1st two weeks of classes

 

(No reduction of charges after the last day of second week)

 

Automatic Grade of W on Complete Withdrawal              1st week to end of 10th week

 

Grade of W or F on Complete Withdrawal

(to be assigned by instructor)                                             11th week to end of 15th week

 

 

III.    Changes in section 4.5 of Faculty Handbook to implement the changes in Add/Drop Policy

 

"W" (meaning withdrawal) is a neutral grade given to a student who withdraws from a course with a passing grade.

 

A student who withdraws from a course during the first two weeks of classes (first week of a summer term) receives no grade; however, a student who withdraws from all classes in the first two weeks of classes (first week of a summer term) receives the grade of "W."

 

From the third week (the second week of a summer term) through the sixth tenth week (third fifth week of a summer term), any student who withdraws from a course will receive a grade of "W."

 

From the seventh week (fourth week of a summer term) through the tenth week (fifth week of a summer term), any student who withdraws from a course will receive a grade of either "W" or "F" from the instructor of the course.

 

After the tenth week (fifth week of a summer term) through the remainder of the term, withdrawals are not permitted except by direct petition to the dean of the college in which the student is enrolled. The student who withdraws with permission of the dean will receive a final grade of "W" or "F" at the discretion of the instructor.

 

Complete withdrawal from the University. A student who withdraws from all classes during the first six ten weeks of a regular semester (first three five weeks of a summer session) will receive the grade of “W” for all courses. For complete withdrawals that occur after the sixth tenth week of class (fifth weeks of summer session), a final grade of “W” or “F” will be assigned by the instructor of each course.

 

A student is allowed only five grades of W throughout the course of his/her undergraduate career at the University. Once a student reaches this maximum number of W grades, he/she will not be allowed to drop any courses after the two-week “free drop” period.

 

After the five-drop limit has been reached, students with extreme, extenuating circumstances may apply for an exception to the limit on W grades through the Office of the Provost.

 

Because complete withdrawals often stem from extenuating circumstances, complete withdrawals will not be counted against the proposed five-drop limit.

 

 

 

IV.       Changes in section 4.14 of Faculty Handbook Policy on Auditing Courses

 

4.14 (Faculty Handbook)

AUDITING COURSES

 

Enrollment as an auditor is permitted in all courses subject to the approval of the instructor in the course. Initial enrollment in a course as an auditor may be completed only between the first day of classes and the last day permitted for late enrollment for credit in any semester or term.

 

A change of enrollment from audit to credit may be made provided the change is made not later than the end of the second week of classes of a regular semester or the first week of classes of a summer term, with the approval of the instructor and dean.

 

A change of enrollment from credit to audit may be made during the first 10 2 weeks of classes of a regular semester or 5 first weeks of classes of a summer term, provided the student is passing in the course at the time of the change is processed. A change of enrollment to audit supersedes the original enrollment for credit, and no withdrawal from the credit enrollment is posted on the student's academic record.

 

Fee and tuition policies for audit enrollments are the same as fee and tuition policies for credit enrollments. A student enrolled exclusively as an auditor may withdraw only during the refund period. Such withdrawal will result in the student's registration being canceled, and no entry will be made on the permanent record. An instructor may assign a final A grade of W may be assigned to a student who has not performed according to the instructor's requirements for an auditor. Such W’s will be applied to the total of 5 drops allowed in a student’s academic career.