THE PENNSYLVANIA STATE UNIVERSITY

The University Faculty Senate

AGENDA

Tuesday, April 23, 2002, at 1:30 PM in

112 Kern Graduate Building

[In the case of severe weather conditions or other emergencies, you may call the Senate Office at (814) 863-0221 to inquire if a Senate meeting has been postponed or canceled. This may be done after normal office hours by calling the same number and a voice mail announcement can be heard concerning the status of any meeting. You may also leave a message at that time.]

A. MINUTES OF THE PRECEDING MEETING -

Minutes of the March 26, 2002, Meeting in The Senate Record 35:6

B. COMMUNICATIONS TO THE SENATE - Senate Curriculum Report (Blue Sheets)

of April 9, 2002

C. REPORT OF SENATE COUNCIL - Meeting of April 9, 2002

D. ANNOUNCEMENTS BY THE CHAIR -

E. COMMENTS BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNIVERSITY -

F. FORENSIC BUSINESS –

G. UNFINISHED BUSINESS –

H. LEGISLATIVE REPORTS –

Undergraduate Education

Revision of Senate Policy 60-00: Multiple Majors and Degrees

I. ADVISORY/CONSULTATIVE REPORTS -

J. INFORMATIONAL REPORTS –

Senate Council

Tuition Task Force, Rodney A. Erickson, Executive Vice President/Provost of the University

Admissions, Records, Scheduling and Student Aid

Time to Graduation Report

Senate Council

Statement by Penn State President Graham Spanier on the Penn State Calendar

Senate Self Study Committee

Interim Report

University Planning

Construction Projects – 2001-02

Report of Senate Elections

Senate Council

Senate Committee on Committees and Rules

University Promotion and Tenure Review Committee

Standing Joint Committee on Tenure

Faculty Rights and Responsibilities

Faculty Advisory Committee to the President

Senate Secretary for 2002-03

Senate Chair-Elect for 2002-03

Comments by Outgoing Chair Nichols

Installation of Officers

Comments by Incoming Chair Moore

K. NEW LEGISLATIVE BUSINESS -

L. COMMENTS AND RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE GOOD OF THE UNIVERSITY -

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Note: The next regular meeting of the University Faculty Senate will be held on Tuesday,

September 10, 2002, at 1:30 PM in Room 112 Kern Building.

THE PENNSYLVANIA STATE UNIVERSITY

The University Faculty Senate

101 Kern Graduate Building

University Park, PA 16802

(814) 863-1202 – phone (814) 865-5789 – fax

Date: April 10, 2002

To: John S. Nichols, Chair, University Faculty Senate

From: Louis F. Geschwindner, Chair, Senate Committee on Curricular Affairs

The Senate Curriculum Report dated April 9, 2002, has been circulated throughout the University. Objections to any of the items in the report must be submitted to the University Curriculum Coordinator at the Senate Office, 101 Kern Graduate Building, e-mail ID sfw2@psu.edu, on or before May 9, 2002.

The Senate Curriculum Report is available on the web. It can be accessed via the Faculty Senate home page (URL http://www.psu.edu/ufs). An electronic mailing list is used to notify individuals of its publication. Please contact the Curriculum Coordinator at the e-mail ID indicated above if you would like to be added to the notification list.

SENATE COMMITTEE ON UNDERGRADUATE EDUCATION

Revision of Senate Policy 60-00: Multiple Majors and Degrees

(Legislative)

[Implementation Date: Fall 2002]

Background

The terms currently used for multiple majors and degrees are: dual degrees, simultaneous degrees, sequential degrees, and multiple majors. Faculty and students find these terms very confusing because of the difficulty in discerning the differences in requirements from the titles. The recent change in Policy 60-40, whereby students who have completed the requirements for multiple majors shall receive a separate diploma for each major, blurs the present difference between multiple majors and simultaneous degrees.

The awarding of separate diplomas for each major creates the appearance of multiple degrees to the casual observer, to those who do not understand the difference, and to anyone who does not refer back to a student’s official academic record, the transcript. However, the current reality and the manner in which degrees and majors are viewed by society and students need to be acknowledged. Our society and our students do not make a distinction between a degree and a major. University graduates describe their baccalaureate as a degree (BA, BS, BFA, etc.) in a specific major. In fact, a number of institutions and some Penn State departments have incorporated the name of the major into the name of the degree. It appears therefore that it is no longer useful to try to make a distinction between a degree and a major when referring to multiple major or degree programs.

Rationale

Because of changes in common usage, the time has come to eliminate the distinction between multiple majors and multiple degrees. Since every graduation requirement in the University is tied to a major, it would be reasonable to refer to the programs proposed here for Policy 60-00 as “Multiple Majors Programs”.

The possibility of being able to fulfill the requirements of more than one major while at Penn State will meet the needs of many students, especially in this era of rapid change, teamwork and job mobility. Enabling a reasonable, easily understood, and flexible way of satisfying the requirements for more than one major will help Penn State to recruit and retain good students. Departments and colleges are encouraged to exercise their flexibility to make exceptions and substitutions in order to meet the educational needs of students without violating the spirit of the requirements for the majors involved.

Clear descriptions of the various options for multiple majors, the differences among them, and distinctive titles are needed. The following suggested Policy 60-00 for Multiple Majors Programs proposes to use the following terms: Concurrent Majors Program and Sequential Majors Program.

As presently written:

60-00 Dual-Degree Programs, Simultaneous Degree Programs, and Multiple Majors

Dual-Degree Programs, Simultaneous Degree Programs, and Multiple Majors

60-20 Simultaneous Degree Programs

60-40 Multiple Major Programs

Dual-Degree Programs, Simultaneous Degree Programs, and Multiple Majors

Dual-degree programs are those with program entrance requirements and graduation requirements that have been pre-approved by the Senate and published. The Liberal Arts-Engineering program is an example of such programs. Those candidates seeking other combinations may request to be enrolled in either simultaneous degrees or multiple majors. However, a candidate may not combine a general major or degree with a departmental major or degree within the same college.

Any student requesting a combined program shall, for each major, meet the same acceptance standards and graduation requirements as met by all other students in that major.

60-20 Simultaneous Degree Programs

1. A candidate receiving approval may complete no more than two simultaneous

degrees and shall receive one diploma for each degree.

2. A candidate for simultaneous baccalaureate degrees must earn at least 30 credits

more than the number of credits required for the degree with the lower total credit

requirement. For associate degrees, at least 15 more credits are required.

60-40 Multiple Major Programs

A candidate receiving approval from the colleges involved may gain entrance to more than one major. The candidate successfully completing the requirements for multiple majors shall receive a separate diploma for each major for which requirements have been completed. The final academic record shall indicate the completion of the requirements for each major

61-00 Sequential Degree Programs

A graduate of the University desiring to acquire a second baccalaureate degree or a second associate degree shall be required to re-enroll with advanced standing under the policies of Section 58-00. If approved for a sequential degree, the candidate shall be required to fulfill the major, college, and University requirements for that degree. A second baccalaureate degree shall require at least 30 baccalaureate credits more than those required for the first degree. For a second associate degree, at least 15 additional credits shall be required.

Recommendation

The current Senate Policy 60-00, “Senate Approved Dual-Degree Programs, Simultaneous Degree Programs, and Multiple Majors,” and Senate Policy 61-00, “Sequential Degree Programs,” should be replaced with the following:

Proposed Policy 60-00: Completing More Than One Undergraduate Major Program (Concurrent Majors and Sequential Majors)

At the baccalaureate or associate degree level, students may be approved for admission to more than one major under the Concurrent Majors Program or the Sequential Majors Program. A Concurrent Majors Program is one in which students take courses to concurrently meet the requirements of at least two majors, with graduation for all majors in the program occurring during the same semester. A Sequential Majors Program is one in which a student has graduated and then re-enrolls for another major.

Any student requesting more than one major program shall, for each major, meet the same acceptance standards and graduation requirements as met by all other students. Colleges and departments may identify and should publish any combinations of majors that would not be approved for more than one major program. In general, an undergraduate student may not combine a general major with a departmental major within the same college.

Proposed 60-10: Concurrent Majors Program

A candidate receiving approval may complete more than one major concurrently. The majors must be all at the baccalaureate level or all at the associate degree level.
Approval for admission to each major must be obtained from the colleges and departments offering the majors. The approval document should include the list of courses that will satisfy the requirements for each of the majors.
Whenever possible and with approval from the departments and colleges involved, courses may be used to meet the requirements of more than one major.
Each major for which the candidate has been approved will be listed on the candidate’s degree audit and transcript at the time of admission to that major. A separate Degree Audit will be generated for each major. For the purpose of enrollment and record keeping, each major will be treated equally.
Upon the completion of the Concurrent Majors Program, a candidate shall receive a diploma for each major.
A Concurrent Majors Program may be listed and described in official University publications if entrance and graduation requirements have been identified and approved by the academic units involved.
At the time of entry to major, not more than one of the candidate’s majors may be under administrative enrollment control.
Exceptions to any part of the policy require the approval of all deans and departments involved.

Proposed 60-20: Sequential Majors Program

Upon completion of the requirements for one major at the Pennsylvania State University and graduation, a candidate receiving approval may re-enroll in another baccalaureate degree major after receiving a baccalaureate degree or an associate degree major after receiving an associate degree for a sequential major.
Approval for admission to the second major must be obtained from the college and department offering the major. The approval document should include the list of courses that will satisfy the requirements for the second major.
Only the second major will be listed on the student’s degree audit.
Restrictions may apply to admission to a sequential major that is under enrollment control. Such restrictions should be specified by the department and college that offer the major.
Upon completion of the second major, a candidate shall receive a second diploma.
Exceptions to any part of the policy require the approval of the dean and department offering the second major.

SENATE COMMITTEE ON UNDERGRADUATE EDUCATION

Cheryl Achterberg Richard R. Kennedy

Richard I. Ammon James L. McDonel

Theresa A. Balog Laura L. Pauley, Chair

Dawn G. Blasko Paul A. Ricciardi

Thomas E. Boothby Robert D. Ricketts, V-Chair

Richard J. Bord David W. Russell

Stephen Browne Dennis C. Scanlon

John J. Cahir Thomas A. Seybert

Paul F. Clark Terry R. Shirley, Jr.

Peter D. Georgopulos Teiko Tachibana

Gary L. Hile D. Joshua Troxell

Robert S. Hill Eric R. White

SENATE COUNCIL

Tuition Task Force

(Informational)

In July, 2001, President Spanier appointed a Tuition Task Force to consider realistic projections of a range of tuition increase options that may be necessary over the next five years to support the continued competitiveness of the University as a premier institution. Dr. Rodney A. Erickson, Executive Vice President and Provost, chaired the Task Force.

At the April 23, 2002 meeting, Dr. Erickson will share the conclusions and recommendations of the Tuition Task Force with the Faculty Senate in advance of a similar presentation to the University’s Board of Trustees on May 10, 2002. His remarks will focus on comparisons with peer institutions, funding needs of the University, five-year budget projections and tuition requirements, possible tuition models, and recommendations regarding Penn State’s tuition strategy for the next several years.

SENATE COUNCIL
John W. Bagby
Connie D. Baggett
Robert L. Burgess
Wayne R. Curtis
W. Travis DeCastro
Gordon F. De Jong
Renee Diehl
Caroline D. Eckhardt
Rodney A. Erickson
Dennis Gouran
Elizabeth A. Hanley
Deidre E. Jago
Alphonse E. Leure-duPree
Salvatore A. Marsico
Ronald L. McCarty
Louis Milakofsky
John W. Moore
Jamie M. Myers
John S. Nichols, Chair
P. Peter Rebane
Winston A. Richards
Alan W. Scaroni
Cara-Lynne Schengrund
Loanne L. Snavely
Graham B. Spanier
Steven W. Stace
Brian B. Tormey

SENATE COMMITTEE ON ADMISSIONS, RECORDS,

SCHEDULING, AND STUDENT AID

Time To Graduation Report

(Informational)

Overview

ARSSA has been asked to investigate the graduation patterns of undergraduate students. In response to this question, the Office of the University Registrar has completed a time to degree study for the Spring 1999, 2000, and 2001 semesters.

The general trends in graduation rates of students enrolled in four-year undergraduate programs are:

· 77% (189) of Penn State four-year undergraduate programs require between 120 and 129 credits. Of those students, whose total credits completed do not exceed the program credit requirement by more than three credits, 86% graduate within four years.

· Another 18% (44) of Penn State four-year undergraduate programs require between 130 and 139 credits. Of those students, whose total credits completed do not exceed the program credit requirement by more than three credits, 84% graduate within four years.

· An additional 5% (10) of Penn State four-year undergraduate programs (all International Business majors) require 145 credits. Of those students, whose total credits completed do not exceed the program credit requirement by more than three credits, 25% graduate within four years.

This report summarizes the factors that seem most salient in distinguishing among the three time periods of graduation: within four years, five years, and more than five years. Variables related to student circumstances and choices seem to be the pertinent factors in influencing time-to-graduation.

Methodology

The study examined students who graduated from a four-year baccalaureate degree program. Graduates from five-year baccalaureate degree programs were excluded from the study. Only students who were originally admitted as freshmen, regardless of which Penn State campus first enrolled, were included. All students admitted to the University as an advance standing student were excluded from the study.

The original cohort was identified by a match of these two conditions (spring graduate from a four-year program, and originally admitted as a freshman). The student’s transcript was then examined for the first enrolled semester, all subsequent semester enrollments, along with all intervening semesters of non-enrollment resulting from withdrawal, leave of absence, and “no-shows”. This data file then was used to conduct the analysis presented in this report.

A significant number of freshmen begin during the summer session. If these students graduated four years (8 semesters) later, they are counted in the “five year” cohort. Students who enrolled in one or more summer sessions after their initial enrollment are counted in the four-year cohort if they graduated in eight semesters.

To better understand the specific factors that influence these graduation issues, the study actually adopted three time frames:

· Students that graduated within 4 years

Students that required 5 years
Students that required more than 5 years

It is important to clarify that not all spring graduates were studied. Students were excluded from the study if they were enrolled in a five-year baccalaureate degree program or if they entered the University in any admission category other than freshman. The number of baccalaureate degree graduates and the number of students studied during these three Spring semesters were:

	Spring 1999	Spring 2000	Spring 2001	Three Semester Total
4 Year Baccalaureate Degree Graduates	5,863	6,090	6,430	18,383
Number of students studied	4,598	4,648	5,189	14,435

Overall Findings

Of those students in the study, the three-year average of time to graduation distributes as follows:

64% within 4 years from time of admission
28% more than 4 years, but within 5 years from time of admission
8% required more than 5 years

Students that graduate within 4 years tend to:

Use fewer late drop credits and have a lower incidence of academic withdrawal.
Change majors less and have a lower tendency of completing multiple majors.
Enroll for sufficient credits each semester required to make normal progress and generally do not earn many more credits than are necessary to complete the program.
Have few semesters of non-enrollment and are good students (not likely to be dropped, and have a higher tendency to achieve dean’s list status).
Start at the University Park campus.
Be a traditional age student.
Enroll in fewer semesters in DUS.

Students that graduate after 5 years tend to:

Use a higher number of late drop credits and have a higher incidence of academic withdrawal.
Demonstrate a significantly higher tendency of changing majors.
Enroll part-time or enroll in insufficient number of credits to maintain normal progress.
Be academically weaker (less likely to be on the dean’s list and more likely to have been academically dropped).
Start at a location other than University Park.
Be an adult learner.
Enroll in more semesters in DUS.

Factors Related to Time-to-Graduation

	4 Year Graduation	5 Year Graduation	5+ Year Graduation
Total Number of Graduates Studied (Spring 1999, 2000, and 2001)	14,435
Total Graduates per Category	9,308	4,075	1,052
Percent of Study Total	64%	28%	8%

The following factors identify the time-to-graduation rates for each of the three time frames. The percentages that follow are the percent of students from the cohort number at the top of the chart. For example, Factor 1: Of the 9,308 students that graduated in 4 years, 68% used one or more late drop credits.

1. Late Drop Credits Used	68%	91%	93%
2. Part-time Semesters Attempted	11%	50%	77%
3. Change of major	12%	28%	54%
4. Enrolled in DUS	19%	26%	36%
5. Semesters started as Full-time, but ended as Part-time	4%	26%	56%
6. Semesters Withdrawn	2%	11%	34%
7. Completed Multiple majors	2%	5%	3%
8. Academic Drop	0%	1%	11%
9. Semesters of non-Enrollment	9%	15%	62%
10. Campus of Admission Not University Park	37%	56%	68%
11. Typically enroll in 1/8 of the program’s credit requirements each semester.	100%	99%	95%
12. Achieved Dean's List	79%	59%	49%
13. Credits Completed External to Penn State	41%	29%	38%
14. Traditional Age Student	67%	29%	4%
15. Adult Learner	13%	14%	73%
16. Enroll in one or more Summer Sessions	67%	71%	79%

The following data is limited to Spring 2001

17. Total Credits Completed Within 3 Credits of the Requirement
a) Programs requiring between 120-129 credits