Second semester is almost half over, seniors are gearing up for their last weeks of care-free debauchery as college students. However, some students might just have one semester left.
Last week, the university registrar sent letters to those students who are in danger of not completing the requirements for May graduation.
Susan Peterson, assistant to the dean in the College of Arts and Sciences, declined to comment on the specific number of letters sent out, as she said that “the problems indicated in the letters were so varied.”
According to Robert Russo of the university registrar, the letters come from the dean’s office of the students’ school that ultimately do the final audits.
These letters were sent out to alert those students with deficiencies before the Spring Break classes and the night classes through the University College begin on March 22.
“Students must meet all requirements to receive a degree,” said Russo. “If a senior is short three or six credits, they can petition their dean to walk in the May ceremony if they register for the missing courses over the summer session.”
Norman S. Solomon, dean of the Dolan School of Business, said that the goal of the mailing was to notify seniors of their current academic progress. According to Solomon, the check sheet is a record of the students work at the time that it is sent out.
“Because the check sheet and degree audit must be done manually for every student, the documents do not reflect what students may have registered for in the new semester,” stated Solomon. “The challenges associated with doing this work manually is one reason the university is working so hard on creating an online degree evaluation system that can be continually updated.”
Academic Vice President Orin Grossman said that computers aren’t perfect. “Once in a while, the degree audit missed something and it is simply a matter of correcting it with the dean’s office,” said Grossman.
Issues that were brought to attention in the letters included: GPA deficiencies, incompletes, core and major requirements not met and a shortage in the number of courses and/or credits. According to Peterson, a 2.0 overall and major GPA is needed for graduation.
According to Solomon, there are a small number of students in the Business School who do not meet the graduation requirements.
Timothy Law Snyder, dean of the college of Arts and Science, said that students are responsible for knowing their requirements for graduation and ensuring that they have met them.
“We are here to help,” said Snyder. “But there are times when we cannot replay the past and fill in requirements that were not met.”
Students who do not meet graduation requirements are able to take a Spring Break intensive course. They may also take an ASAPI or II course that is offered through University College.
Peterson said that students who have not met all of the requirements by the day of graduation can still retain the possibility that they may “walk” with their class.
“My office explains that procedure, if necessary, to students when they meet with us,” explained Peterson.
Miguel Delgado ’04 feels that this letter is an inconvenience.
“I had met with the dean of Arts and Sciences, as well as my advisor, and they both told me that with the extra classes I was taking, I’d be able to graduate in May. Sending out letters at this point in the semester does me little good. If they were sent out earlier, then I would have taken an extra class over Winter Break,” said Delgado. “It seems too little too late, and they don’t even know for sure if the computer is wrong or I really am short these credits.”
Nursing major Kristin Gance ’04 agrees. “There is enough to worry about without being stressed about whether or not you can graduate,” said Gance. “Although I didn’t get one of these letters, I know some people who did, and it is just adding unnecessary stress to their lives before the end of the semester.”
Administrators encourage students to be aware of their standing within the university’s core and major requirements.
“In general, students need to be aware of their own progress toward graduation and work with their advisors on this,” said Grossman. “No student who has systematically looked each semester at her progress within the core, her major, etcetera, and consulted with advisors on a regular basis should be surprised in second semester senior year that an unmet requirement sill exists.”
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