November 4, 2002
UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS
URBANA-CHAMPAIGN SENATE
Committee on Educational Policy
(Final - Information )
EP.03.04 Report Regarding Educational Policy Implications of the UI Integrate Initiative
This report continues the Senate Educational Policy Committeefs communication with Senators on matters related to the UI Integrate initiative. Specifically, this report addresses how SCT Banner will produce undergraduate and graduate student transcripts.
In UI Direct, reporting of course grades and calculation of scholastic averages is governed by course level. Courses numbers 100-399 and for which credit is granted in hours may appear on the undergraduate section of a transcript; courses numbered 400-499 and for which credit is granted in units may appear on the graduate section of a transcript. Some courses in the 300-399 range„Ÿordinarily undergraduate courses„Ÿmay be completed for graduate credit in units and thus may appear on a graduate transcript (see Code of Policies and Regulations Applying to All Students, Rule 78.d.1-4).
Departments are currently renumbering their course offerings according to the seven-level, three digit system approved by the Senate last year (EP.01.22, 10/29/01). Under this system, the 400-499 series is reserved for upper-level undergraduate and graduate courses and the 500-599 series is reserved for graduate courses. It is anticipated, however, that some graduate programs will want students to complete course work (probably outside their departments) in the 300-399 series. Also, some undergraduates may be allowed to complete courses in the 500-599 series. Note that credit for all courses, regardless of level, will be given in hours; the Senate voted last year to eliminate the graduate unit designation. UI Direct used the hours/unit distinction to distinguish what should appear on undergraduate and graduate transcripts. Under Banner, this distinction will map onto internal course-level designations.
Because some course levels (300-399, 400-499, 500-599) must carry both undergraduate and graduate designations, Banner will use student level (i.e., level of admission) to determine what should appear on a graduate or undergraduate transcript. This may mean that some graduate transcripts will include grades (say, for 300-level courses) that should not be calculated in a studentfs scholastic average. But such is now the case under UI Direct. And as under UI Direct, students advisors, and administrators will have access to an online degree audit application that will make visible precisely those course grades and the scholastic average pertinent to a graduate studentfs program of study.
The Records Sub-Team of the UI Integrate Registration and Records Team is currently working with the Registrar and the
Graduate College to refine the process for generating graduate transcripts under Banner.
While the foregoing represents a change in practices, it entails no change in educational policy. In the Code, the substance of Rules 75-78 on transcripts is unaffected, as is the substance of Rules 69-74 on grades.
Educational Policy Committee
Peter Mortensen, Chair
Guy Garnett
Jerome Packard
Paul Beck
Phillip Geil
Roscoe Pershing, ex officio*
Sheryl Benson, ex officio*
Krista Jurs
Alice Poehls, ex officio*
Bruce Branham
Naomi Makins
Sue Searing
Vernon Burton
Sarah Mangelsdorf,
ex officio designee*
Amy Sponsler
James Campion
Keith Marshall, observer*
Richard Weinzierl
Bettina M. Francis
Dick Mintel
Douglas Wiegmann
*Denotes non-voting status