Approved by the:

Twin Cities Campus Assembly - April 22, 1999 Administration - July 15, 1999 Board of Regents - no action required

I. Introduction

In conjunction with the University’s change to semesters, the Assembly Committee on Educational Policy has considered the recommendation of an academic progress policy to the Assembly. Students now commonly understand that they may enroll for as few or as many credits as they wish, at any time, and take as long as they wish to complete a degree. The proposed policy seeks to modify student behavior under the semester calendar by ensuring that students graduate in a timely fashion. The proposed policy applies only to undergraduate programs.

II. Policy

1. The University expects most students to graduate in a timely manner, defined here as four to five years. The administration shall adopt policies, and further publicize existing policies, which will facilitate timely graduation for most students (within four to five years). The Office of the Provost shall engage in regular conversations with the Assembly Committee on Educational Policy about these policies and their effectiveness.

2. All departments and programs must have in place a curricular plan that allows students to graduate in four years. Such a plan would require that students enroll for at least 15 credits per semester, on average (excluding such desirable educational enhancements as study abroad and internships). This plan may not require that students enroll for more than 17 credits per semester, on average. Course offerings must be scheduled on a two-year horizon so that students can progress in a way that leads to timely completion.

A university in a large metropolitan area must meet the needs of a variety of students, some of whom do not wish to attend college full time, and some of whom may come to the University precisely because it offers flexibility in its educational programs. The University recognizes that some students may wish to attend on a part-time basis, and that others, for financial or other personal reasons, are unable to complete degrees in four to five years.

For many students, however, significant educational benefits may be derived from devoting the majority of their time and attention to studies while in college. Students should also recognize the opportunity costs of delayed graduation (paying additional tuition and fees, and the income and career advancement foregone when studies are extended). The University recognizes this, and already provides incentives to students who are making timely progress (e.g., priority in registration and for on-campus housing). Tuition banding, or other incentives in the tuition schedule, if adopted by the Regents, will provide another incentive.

A number of recent actions have been directed to helping students graduate on a timely basis. These actions include the following:

• Establishment of the Four Year Graduation Plan: As part of the Four Year Graduation Plan, eligible majors have developed curricular plans for graduating in four years. These plans are available on the web. A Four Year Plan Advisory Committee, consisting primarily of collegiate advisors, has been established to help identify areas where existing plan requirements may inadvertently hinder the ability of advisers to help students graduate in four years.

• New Undergraduate Tuition Structure: The President will be recommending a new undergraduate tuition structure to the Board of Regents that involves half price tuition for all credits over 12. Under this plan there is a clear financial incentive to take 15 rather than 12 credits a semester. A student who takes 15 credits a semester and graduates in 4 years will save between $900 and $1,000 as compared to a student who takes 12 credits a semester and graduates in 5 years. This tuition savings is in addition to any savings on living expenses, 5 years of student loans as opposed to 4 years and the income and career advancement that may be foregone when a student delays the start of his or her post-baccalaureate work experience.

• Expectation that major scholarship winners will be full time students: Major University scholarships used to recruit new high school students will carry the expectation that students will complete 30 credits a year and thus be on track to graduate in four years.

• University Residence Halls: Housing and Residential Life has increased the minimum credit requirement for living in one of the University residence halls from 6 to 9 credits. It should be noted that this fall less than 100 out of 5,200 students living in University residence halls were enrolled for fewer than 12 credits.

• Standard undergraduate academic policies and practices: The set of standard undergraduate academic policies and practices that was adopted by the Twin Cities Assembly in May 1998 should reduce if not eliminate red tape that students might encounter when transferring between colleges. The intent is to insure that timely graduation is not impeded by inconsistent policies across colleges. The Twin Cities Council of Undergraduate Deans has also worked to identify additional areas where uniform policies are appropriate.

• Course availability and access: It does no good to exhort students to graduate in four or five years if the University is unable to offer the necessary courses. Effective with FY 98, then-Provost Shively distributed over $1 million to colleges to improve course access. The subsequent adoption of IMG provides further incentive for colleges to offer courses that students want to take. The Twin Cities Council of Undergraduate Deans has facilitated sharing of information and cooperation among colleges to address issues of course access. The integration of University College credit courses into the basic registration system makes the availability of all courses, whether offered in the day or evening, more transparent to students.