Meeting Minutes: Committee on Academic Affairs

May 11, 1998
Georgia Southern University, Statesboro, Georgia
Southern Center for Continuing Education

MINUTES

The Administrative Committee on Academic Affairs held its Spring meeting on May 11, 1998 at Georgia Southern University's Southern Center for Continuing Education. Chairman Harry Carter called the meeting to order at 2:00 p.m. Visitors to the meeting were introduced to the committee members: Dr. Tina Straley, Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs at Kennesaw State University and Dr. Mike Stoy, Chair of the Division of Science/Mathematics at Darton College.

The minutes of January 28, 1998 were approved as distributed.

Committee Reports
Committee on Faculty Contracts

Dr. Katherine Fuller discussed revisions to Faculty Contracts that bring them into conformity with the semester calendar. A new form has been created for faculty members who have administrative appointments. This form stipulates that administrative assignments are made at the pleasure of the President of the institution and are subject to change at any point during the contract period. To avoid the possibility that part-time and temporary faculty members will consider themselves to be more permanently employed, the committee recommended that letters rather than contracts be issued to them. The letter would clearly define their temporary capacity. The committee further recommended that tenure track positions not be issued on "soft money." Finally, the committee recommended that another System committee be assigned the task of analyzing the current professional employment structure with the possibility of recommending a third category that would eliminate the confusion over "teaching" versus "nonteaching" faculty.

Committee on Transfer of Credit Principles

Dr. Joan Elifson presented a draft document concerning the Principles for Reviewing Transfer Credit. This draft was an expansion of information concerning the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools criteria delineating the acceptance of credit from non-regionally accredited institutions. Attention was focused on those sections describing Credit Earned at a Regionally Accredited Institution and Technical "Block" Credit Earned at a Public Technical Institute in Georgia in Cooperation with a University System Institution. The committee suggested that each institution attest to the fact that collegiate level work is being transferred; institutions should not accept certificate credit for baccalaureate programs; institutions may accept credit under the condition of a subsequent review; institutions would ensure that faculty of the transfer credit institution meet collegiate level credentials; and that institutions understand accepting credit from non-regionally accredited institutions is permissive but not required. The committee will reconvene and deliberate about the responses received concerning this issue. The document was not voted upon at this meeting.

Committee on Program Accreditation

Dr. Barry Goldstein presented the report of the Committee on Program Accreditation. The committee suggested that unless circumstances require mandatory specialized accreditation, institutions are responsible for determining if accreditation will be pursued for an academic program.

The committee recommended the following:

Regional Accreditation is essential for all System Institutions for continued academic credibility; the recruitment of students and the placement of graduates; the transfer of credit; meeting federal requirements for securing financial assistance; and professional licensure/certification. Specialized accreditation is essential for System programs which involve professional licensure or certification contingent upon students graduating from an accredited degree program; and is advisable for programs which exist to meet state need/demands and which must compete with accredited programs elsewhere. Voluntary specialized accreditation should be considered if significant value to the program accrues from accreditation; the benefit of accreditation outweighs the cost incurred; and the competitive position of the program and its graduates are improved significantly.
Follow-up Reports

Learning Support Administrative Procedures

Dr. Kathleen Burk presented a revision of the Learning Support/Developmental Studies Procedures for approval. The revisions, which had been approved by the Academic Committee on Learning Support, included elimination of the term "Developmental Studies," changes resulting from the transition to semesters, and the addition of System defined prerequisites for core courses. In addition, the requirement that institutional procedures be submitted to the Chancellor's office has been deleted. Instead, the chief academic officer will provide notification that institutional procedures have been reviewed and are consistent with System Policy and Procedures.

Concern was expressed about the current requirement that Learning Support be a separate department or division with a separate budget and staff. It was suggested that a committee be appointed to review the need for this requirement and report its recommendations at the summer meeting.

Regents Test Survey Results

Dr. Joan Elifson reported the results of the Regents' Test Survey conducted by the Council on General Education. The results indicated agreement that there is a continuing need for the test, and most of the proposed revisions were not supported. There was substantial support for establishing a limit to the number of credit hours students could earn before passing the test and for implementing computerized administration of the essay test.

Another issue from the Council on General Education was the process for making changes to the core curriculum. Dr. Elifson requested that changes be sent to the council for review and turnaround within two weeks. Requests should be sent electronically to Dr. Elifson.

Summer Meeting Plans (July 12 - 14, 1998)

Dr. Morgan reported that the summer meeting of the Vice Presidents for Academic and Student Affairs would meet July 12 - 14, 1995 at Sea Palms, St. Simons Island. A working agenda was reviewed by all present. Further revisions or additions to the agenda were discussed.

Senior Vice Chancellor's Report

Dr. Muyskens thanked Dr. Carter for hosting the ACAA meeting in conjunction with the Distinguished Professor Conference. He then asked for a formal endorsement on the Program Accreditation report which had been discussed earlier. A motion of endorsement was moved, seconded and passed overwhelmingly. Dr. Muyskens also discussed the increased emphasis on foreign language which the System will be emphasizing in the next few years and he previewed the May Board of Regents meeting, noting agenda items on teacher preparation, semester conversion, and information technology. He also asked that institutions post by August 1 their Core Curriculum page using the System-developed template. He emphasized also the need for consistency and clarity of Core Curriculum transfer provisions, and indicated that he would be asking a committee to clarify the System's transfer principles. In response to a question about the match provisions of the Distinguished Professor program, Dr. Muyskens indicated that he was exploring an approach for the FY 1999-2000 year, one which will allow institutions to apply for smaller (or larger) Distinguished Professor grants with a commensurate reduction (or increase) in match being required.

The meeting was adjourned at 5:00 p.m.

Principles for Reviewing Transfer Credit
University System of Georgia

Draft: May 8, 1998

The following principles were developed to guide institutions of the University System of Georgia in reviewing transfer credit presented by students for use in meeting requirements for degrees and certificates. These principles were developed in response to changes in the Criteria of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (December 1997). These changes permit its member institutions to review credit from non-regionally accredited institutions for potential application to degree programs.

These principles do not specifically address the transfer of core curriculum credit between institutions of the University System as these policies are included in the guidelines for the Core Curriculum. Further, the Board of Regents' policies on the relationship between University System institutions and Board of Technical and Adult Education Institutes and the Principles developed by the Georgia Post-secondary Education Coordianting Committee govern transfer of both general education and technical block credit between institutions.

An institution may accept coursework in transfer that may not meet requirements of a specific degree program. In the event that a student pursues such a program at the institution, the coursework will not be applied to the student's program requirements.

Credit Earned at a Regionally Accredited Institution

If credit was earned at a regionally accredited institution as part of a baccalaureate-level program or in a program that was intended for transfer to such a program (i.e., transfer associate program), it may be accepted as credit toward a baccalaureate or transfer associate degree so long as similar credit is offered at the reviewing institution. See "D" below for definition of similar credit.
Technical "Block" Credit Earned at a Public Technical Institute in Georgia in Cooperation with a University System Institution

If a student completed all coursework that comprises a technical "block" at either a regionally accredited technical institute or as a part of a cooperative degree agreement between a non-regionally accredited technical institute and a University System institution, it may be accepted in transfer so long as similar coursework is offered at the reviewing institution or is regularly accepted under its own agreements with technical institutes. (See "E" below for definition of similar credit.) This provision assumes that appropriate course-by-course reviews of any technical block credit that is offered at non-regionally accredited institutes have been conducted by the University System institution with which the technical institute has the primary agreement. It is the responsibility of the institution accepting credit from a non-accredited institution to determine that such reviews have been conducted on a timely basis and that they result in a conclusion that the coursework is "collegiate level." Such reviews should consider the factors identified in "F" below.
General Education Credit Earned At A Non-Regionally Accredited Institution

If credit was earned at a post-secondary institution that is not regionally accredited, the reviewing institution must determine that any courses accepted for transfer are similar to coursework required in the student's degree program and that it is collegiate level. See "E" below for discussion of similar coursework. The factors identified in "F" below will be considered in determining whether the coursework was taught at the "collegiate level" by faculty with appropriate credentials.
Credit Earned in Applied Associate and Certificate Programs

If credit was earned at a post-secondary institution, regionally accredited or not, in an applied associate or certificate program, the reviewing institution must determine that courses accepted for transfer are similar to coursework required in the student's program and that it is collegiate level. See "E" below for discussion of similar credit. The factors identified in "F" below will be considered in determining whether the coursework was taught at the "collegiate level" by faculty with appropriate credentials.
Definition of Similar Credit

Similar Credit refers to credit earned in a course that is substantively the same in content and level as courses required by the degree program at the reviewing institution.

The term also refers to credit earned in a course that could reasonably be viewed as comparable to those courses that comprise a group from which students may choose to meet degree requirements. For example, a course in "Introduction to Theater" might be accepted for transfer to meet a fine arts requirement that is normally met by "Art Appreciation, Music Appreication or Introduction to Literature" at an institution that does not offer a course in theater.
Factors To Be Considered In Reviews of Coursework From Unaccredited Institutions Or Of Coursework to be Applied At A Different Level than Originally Intended
1. Type of program for which the credit applies at the sending institution: credit for courses may be applied to degree programs only if the courses were applicable to the same type of degree and certificate programs (transfer associate/baccalaureate, career associate, applied associate, or certificate) at the originating institution.
2. Level of coursework: credit for courses may be applied at the same level as they were intended at the originating institution: general education, lower division, upper division. Admissions and placement requirements and course prerequisites are factors in the review. In some instances, institutions may determine through specific review that courses were substantively similar to those taught at a higher level. In those instances they may award the credit for use at a higher level. In those instances they may award the credit for use at a higher level than it was originally designed.
3. Qualifications of faculty teaching the course: the minimum requirement for faculty credentials is that specified by Southern Association of Colleges and Schools at the level at which the transfer coursework is to be applied. For example, coursework that is applied to associate transfer programs must be taught by faculty with appropriate credentials for teaching in associate transfer programs.
4. Course topics and text material as compared to that used at the receiving institution, as a test for the "collegiate level" of the coursework.
5. Course assignments and examinations as compared to that used at the receiving institution, as a test for "collegiate level" of the coursework.
Documents used in review of credit might include:
1. Catalog, with specific attention to the course description, the program to which the coursework applied, and the faculty teaching in the program.
2. Syllabus, with specific attention to course topics and requirements
3. Text
4. Coursework products (papers, tests, projects)
5. Interviews with academic officials or registrar at sending originating institution
Subsequent Review of Transfer Credit That Has Been Previously Reviewed

Institutions within the University System may accept the review of undergraduate coursework by another University System institution in consideration of transfer of credit. Notification from the Registrar of one University System institution to another that transfer of credit was positively reviewed according to these principles may result in the second institution accepting the credit without further review.

Credit for Core Curriculum courses will then be applied in the same way at the second institution as it was applied by the reviewing institution.

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