• Ed Lee, Associate Registrar, University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point • Kristi Wold-McCormick, Registrar, North Dakota State University

AACRAO, Moscone Center, San Francisco Monday April 15, 2013

Identify current issues, challenges and trends related to academic records and transcripts

Share, network and gather ideas for colleagues Consider increasing pressures from institutional/

state/federal levels that influence business practices Discuss the role of the registrar in preserving

and protecting the integrity of the record Cite AACRAO’s Grades and Grading

Practices (2004) and a recent survey by the Successful Registrar publication

GPA Variations (EL) Academic Standing/Financial Aid regulations

(EL) Transfer Coursework (KWM) Repeated Coursework (KWM) Post-Degree Courses, Majors, Degrees (KWM) Graduation Honors (EL) Non-academic Suspension (EL) Successful Registrar survey (KWM)

More common for various GPAs to be displayed

Depending on SIS, may vary by transcript type Confusion by students, other readers of record Academic policies need to be clear in which GPA

is used for what purpose AACRAO survey revealed >80% of institutions

used only institutional grades in computation

Institutional Institutional

+ Transfer Transfer Program Degree

Institutional policies vary significantly

Minimum Term and/or Cum GPA

Might vary by student classification or program

Which standings post on official transcripts vs. other versions of the academic record?

AACRAO recommends only standings that interrupts continuous enrollment (eg., academic suspension, expulsion) display on transcript

SAP now requires 2.0 cum GPA or standing consistent with school’s graduation requirements after a

student’s 2nd academic year

Do GPA/standing requirements differ

from SAP?

Inclusion of transfer coursework or

resident GPA only?

Definition of “end of a student’s second

academic year?”

Should change be made t0 Academic

Standing policies to align with SAP rules?

SAP

Detailed coursework on transcript or institution name and total credits only?

GPA: Institutional v. Institutional + Transfer

Entry of all grades into SIS, including D and F

Conversion of grading bases different from home

Repeats of courses initially taken at home institution

Repeats at home institution of coursework initially taken elsewhere and transferred in

Important to have explicit policies on transfer repeats

Does first attempt have to be a failure?

Do transfer repeats replace home grade in GPA calculations?

Do processes check for repeats across all institutions?

Transfer equivalencies in system check for repeats?

How are they noted on transcript in each scenario?

Various policies regarding repeats

AACRAO study:

Majority of institutions allow any course to be repeated

Next most common practice only if first attempt was ≤ D

Most common practice to include only highest grade

Most have unlimited policy on repeat attempts for a course

Best Attempt

May count toward enrollment status and award Title IV funds to students repeating, for the first time only, previously passed courses. Students no longer receive aid for more than two attempts at a course.

Administered in Records or Financial Aid?

Impacts to institutional policy if no restrictions exist on repeated courses?

What if previous attempts were failures? Unlimited?

What if course is a degree/university requirement?

Does institutional policy allow or prohibit it? If permitted, does it alter original academic

standing and/or term/cum/degree GPAs? Impacts to graduation honors

SIS capabilities and limitations If not allowed, how is it caught/stopped?

Do cum stats restart after degree is posted? If 2nd degree is pursued, do first degree

credits/honors points calculate in new degree?

Allowed retroactively (lapse of more than one full semester)?

Record adjustments

Grade changes post degree

Addressed in institutional policy?

If allowed, are honors and degree GPA updated?

Consideration: Auto-graduate students who satisfy degree requirements

SAP rules:

Courses that don’t count toward degree can’t be used to determine enrollment status (unless eligible remedial) for financial aid

What institutional practices monitor this? Is it done by records or financial aid staff?

UW-Stevens Point Combined GPA of transfer and UWSP

3.50 cum laude

3.75 magna

3.90 summa

Presents some issues as combined GPA only noted on degree audit

Commencement honors based on term prior

NDSU Graduation with honor eligibility determined in two steps:

• Step 1: Earn minimum NDSU cum GPA of 3.50

• Below 3.50 not considered (step two is not necessary)

• Step 2: Earn combined cum GPA of 3.50 or greater, including:

• All transfer work

• All attempts of repeated coursework

Considerations

Domestic and international transfer work

included? Same calculation

for academic standing?

Maximum allowable

transferable coursework?

Minimum resident credit requirement?

All course attempts (repeats) included?

Institutional GPA only?

AACRAO recommends no notations on transcript Background (UW system internal registration holds) Taking this notification public “social” UW campuses in WI required to post Dean of students office is custodian of record

Registrar’s Office adds notation after the last term

Chapter UWS 17, Wis. Admin. Code, Nonacademic Misconduct Suspension from (mo/day/yr.) to (mo/day/yr).

The suspension notation is removed after the end date

UWSP - Deans office is responsible to notify RO when suspension has expired for removal

NDSU current puts statement on record, “May not register for non-academic reasons”

Typically not removed – discussions underway

Is policy/process different if it is an academic violation v. general behavioral misconduct?

SSN - majority don’t put on transcript ID – majority DO put on transcript DOB – very split on printing on transcript Transfer Credit – Nearly 40% put coursework

details on transcript Instruction Mode – majority do not indicate Course Designations (learning outcomes,

civic learning, etc.) – majority do not print

MAJORITY DO PRINT NOTATIONS RELATED TO :

Dean’s List Academic Standing

Probation/Suspension/Dismissal

Most standing notes permanent

Withdrawals Graduation/Latin Honors Certificates earned

MAJORITY DON’T PRINT NOTATIONS RELATED TO:

Academic Warning Honors Program Honors Course Honor Societies Class Rank Academic Integrity Violation

(special grade, notation) Conduct/Social Standing or

Violation

Regularly review current policies for relevance based on institutional and student needs

Advocate for institutional discussion, data review - Introduce policies/updates as needed

Continue to look at national trends and best practices, including AACRAO resources

Stay current on state and federal legislation/regulations impacting academic records (financial aid, data reporting, etc.)

Protect the integrity of the record and the purpose it is intended to serve

Questions/Discussion Contact

Ed.Lee@uwsp.edu

k.wold-mccormick@ndsu.edu