The Senate of Michigan Technological University


Superseded

PROPOSAL 2-88

PROCEDURE FOR DROPPING A COURSE

 

BACKGROUND:

Senate Proposal 4-86 was adopted by the Senate and approved by President Stein with a tentative Fall, 1987, implementation. It changed the regular drop period to 4 weeks and stated that courses dropped by students during the fifth and sixth week would appear on the students' transcripts with a grade of "W" which indicates a late drop with no credit and no grade points. Late drops after six weeks would be granted only by the Dean of Students and would also appear on the transcript as a "W" grade. The policy also clarified the assigning of "N" grades.

Delayed implementation was intended to give faculty time to assess the practicality of the shorter drop period and whether they could provide students with desired feedback before the regular drop period ended. Faculty were asked to try to provide feedback to students before the end of the fourth week of the term during the 1986-87 academic year in anticipation of an official change in the regular drop date. An Instructional Policy Committee survey of faculty revealed that only 62-63% provided feedback to students before the end of the fourth week during the winter and spring terms (1986-87). Eighty-six percent of the faculty said that they would provide feedback before the end of the fourth week of the term if Proposal 4-86 was implemented.

It is the opinion of the Instructional Policy Committee and President Stein that the regular drop period should remain at six weeks. This proposal modifies Proposal 4-86.

PROPOSAL:

Regular Drop - During the first six weeks of the quarter, a student desiring to drop a course completes a course change form which the student submits to the scheduling office. The dropped course is removed from the student's schedule and is not entered on the permanent record. Departmental approval is only required for laboratory courses indicated on the course change form.

W - No credit, no grade points, late drop. After the sixth week of a quarter, a may request a late drop only from the Dean of Students. The Dean of Students will consider only those requests which clearly involve extenuating circumstances beyond the student's control. Those late drops approved by the Dean of Students must also have the comments of the student's departmental advisor and the instructor. The Registrar will show the course on the student's transcript with a W entered as a grade.

N - No credit, no grade points. Given when a student withdraws from the university after the regular drop period, passing the subject. In these cases, the Registrar notifies the instructor that the student has withdrawn from the university and should receive an N grade if passing as of the date of withdrawal. The student's grade form will come to the instructor at the end of the course in the normal manner. The instructor will enter the appropriate grade, N or F, thus notifying the Registrar and completing the action.

 

Replaced Proposal 4-86
Adopted by Senate: 9 December 1987
Approved by President: 4 January 1988
See Proposal 27-05