Best practices and trends in GPA and credit calculations
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 Institutional
Institutional + Transfer
Transfer
Program
Degree
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 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?
SAP Definition of “end of a student’s second academic year?”
Should change be made t0 Academic Standing policies to align with SAP rules?
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 Best Attempt
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
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
Domestic and international transfer work included?
Institutional GPA only?
Same calculation for academic standing?
Considerations
All course attempts (repeats) included?
Maximum allowable transferable coursework?
Minimum resident credit requirement?
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
MAJORITY DON’T PRINT NOTATIONS RELATED TO:
Withdrawals Graduation/Latin Honors Certificates earned
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
[email protected] [email protected]
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 Institutional
Institutional + Transfer
Transfer
Program
Degree
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 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?
SAP Definition of “end of a student’s second academic year?”
Should change be made t0 Academic Standing policies to align with SAP rules?
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 Best Attempt
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
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
Domestic and international transfer work included?
Institutional GPA only?
Same calculation for academic standing?
Considerations
All course attempts (repeats) included?
Maximum allowable transferable coursework?
Minimum resident credit requirement?
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
MAJORITY DON’T PRINT NOTATIONS RELATED TO:
Withdrawals Graduation/Latin Honors Certificates earned
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
[email protected] [email protected]
