Repository: UIHistories Project: Board of Trustees Minutes - 1974 Version B [PAGE 595]

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1974]

UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS

587

Board of Trustees action on July 14, 1924, and April 24, 1926, established the requirement that students holding statutory tuition waivers and wishing to obtain leaves of absence would be required to present the equivalent of a C average "exclusive of grades in Military Science and Physical Education." This policy, which is not required by law and is not followed in the case of other public universities in the state, has been found to work a severe hardship on some students — especially veterans — who may encounter academic difficulties, withdraw from the University temporarily, and then find their eligibility for the tuition waiver being "used up" prior to their return. The faculty committees and administrative officers concerned at the UrbanaChampaign, Chicago Circle, and Medical Center campuses all recommend the removal of the present requirement that the equivalent of a C average be presented in order to obtain a tuition waiver "leave of absence." I concur.

On motion of Mr. Steger, this recommendation was approved.

C O N T I N U A T I O N OF RESERVATION O F SPACES FOR APPLICANTS W I T H DIFFERENT QUALIFICATIONS (SPECIAL AND EXPERIMENTAL P R O G R A M S ) . CHICAGO CIRCLE

(15) The Board of Trustees at its July 1973 meeting authorized the Chancellor at the Chicago Circle campus to1 increase the limit on spaces reserved for applicants with different qualifications for special and experimental programs, from 10 to a maximum of 12 per cent — as space is available — of the previous fall-term entering freshman class. The Chicago Circle Senate on February 11, 1974, approved a recommendation of the Committee on Student Admissions, Records, and College Relations to continue the limit up to 12 per cent for 1974-75 and indefinitely thereafter. The University Committee on Admissions at its meeting on February 21, 1974, also approved this recommendation. It is proposed that the limit of up to 12 per cent instituted by the Board of Trustees on July 18, 1973, be continued for the 1974-75 academic year. I concur.

On motion of Mr. Howard, this recommendation was approved.

C O N T I N U A N C E A N D MODIFICATION OF T H E PASS/FAIL GRADING O P T I O N , URBANA

(16) On July 26, 1967, the Board of Trustees approved the action of the UrbanaChampaign Senate to establish a pass/fail grading system to be effective beginning February, 1968. The pass/fail system was instituted " . . . to encourage students to explore areas of interest which they might otherwise feel compelled to pass over because exploration might lead to poor grades." The option was approved with the stipulation that it was to be reviewed and evaluated after eight semesters of operation to decide on its continuance, modification, or discontinuance. An extensive review began in the 1972-73 academic year and culminated with a report of May 6, 1974, to the Senate by the Senate Educational Policy Committee. As a result of the action taken on that report, the Urbana-Champaign Senate recommended that the pass/fail system be continued with the following substantive changes in the present policy:

1 Different from the following high school rank and test score criteria approved by the Board of Trustees on April 15, 1970: 1. Applicants approved for admission to regular programs must have at least a one-in-two (50 per cent) chance of achieving a 3.0 (C) average for the first term in the college or curriculum to which they apply. 2. To provide the flexibility that may be needed on a temporary basis, applicants whose chances for success range from one-in-four (minimally qualified under present standards) to one-intwo (minimally qualified under recommended standards) may be approved for admission to a curriculum or college under the following circumstances: a. The curriculum or college would not fully utilize available resources of space, staff, and/ or facilities unless such applicants were admitted. b. Provision is made by the department or college concerned designed to help such applicants improve their chances for success. c. Special funds are provided where added expenses are involved in making such provision.