CAMPUS/AREA
UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
Mondav. October 18, 1993
3
Policy hastens dismissal process
Liberal Arts rules set minimum for GPA,credit hours
Anew probation and dismissal policy will give failing students a necessary dose of reality, KU administrators say.
By Kathleen Stolle Kansan staff writer
Probation or dismissal?
The policy, which affects students in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, is designed to decrease the number of students with the credits but not the minimum 2.0 grade point average to graduate. Notice of the policy, which takes effect at the end of this spring semester, was included with enrollment information sent out last week.
number of hours by points earned (A=4; B=3;
C=2; D=1; F=0). So, if you have 60 hours of D
you have 60 grade points.
Students in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences who aim below a 2.0 cumulative GPA are subject to a scholastic deficiency formula, which determines whether a student is placed on probation or is dismissed.
Here's how to figure the formula:
1. Multiply your total number of hours by 2. For example, 60 hours times 2 is 120.
2. Figure your grade points by multiplying your
3. Subtract 2 from number 1. So if you have 60 points and 120 minimum points, pack your bags. You have a deficiency of 60.
Probation — 1 to 24 deficiency points
Dismissal — 25 deficiency points or more
KANSAN
"We saw so many students hanging around a semester too long because the policy allowed it," said Pam Houston, director of the CLAS Undergraduate Center. "By the time they realized what was happening, they were almost to a point they'd never graduate from KU because their GPA deficit was so great."
Under the new policy all CLAS students must maintain a cumulative GPA of 2.0 to remain in good standing. The current policy requires that only those with 60 credit hours or more earn a 2.0 GPA to stay in good standing. Underclassmen now enjoy a more lenient GPA minimum, which ranges from 1.0 to 1.8, depending on the number of credits earned.
"We want the students to get the message early that if their GPAs fall down way below the 2.0 minimum, it's going to be very difficult for them to graduate," said Kathy Hall, liaison between the college governance subcommittee that formulated the policy and the undergraduate center.
In another change, probation and dismissal will be based upon the cumulative GPA alone. Now a student can be put on probation if either the semester or the cumulative GPA is below the prescribed minimum.
However, the new policy is tougher in that students may be dismissed after a single semester if their grades are poor enough. Currently students get a semester of probation before dismissal is considered
"We don't like dismissing students, period," said Joe Van Zandt director of the CLAS Advising Support Center. "But we don't like talking their money semester after semester and have them leave KU with nothing to show for it."
In a final change, a student's adherence to the college's early and continuance math and English requirement will no longer be grounds for probation. Now a student who falls to stay enrolled continuously in math and English courses until the college's requirements are met is subject to probation. It is also no longer a factor in dismissal.
Van Zandt said the math and English requirements were removed from the new policy because they were difficult to enforce as part of the probation and dismissal policy. The early and continuance policy will still be enforced, but how that will be done has not been determined yet.
Andy Nolan, Hutchinson junior and a member of the college governance committee that approved the policy, said the new policy would benefit students on both sides of the 2.0 GPA minimum.
"It's not a punitive policy at all," he said. "I think it's an attempt to raise academic standards, and that's fair."
Martin Altstaedten/Special to the KANSAN
Reaching out to young dancers
Patrick Suzeau, KU music and dance instructor, teaches intermediate and advanced ballet to high school students from Kansas, Missouri and Oklahoma during the "Day of Dance" at Robinson Center. The event, which took place Saturday, featured the variety of programs offered at the KU department of music and dance.
Advocacy group gains momentum
Lawrence attorneys to assist in resolving student grievances
By Donella Hearne
Kansan staff writer
The Student Advocacy Group started last month with only two KU students and a post office box.
Now it has six members, two attorneys, three new clients and its first solved complaint.
The group also has other goals, Altevogt said. Plans include investigating possible infringements on student rights, he said.
The advocacy group announced last month that it would be taking letters from students with concerns or complaints. John Altevogt, co-director of the group, said the group was created to guide students through the University grievance procedures.
"We are not here to be simply reactive but to be proactive." Altevort said.
Altevogt said he specifically sought out women who would be able to guide female students who have complaints. All women's complaints would be referred to the female group members.
Two Lawrence attorneys, Dong Strobe and his associate, Sally Kelsey, have agreed to advise the group on legal issues free of charge. They will also represent students in court if it becomes necessary. Kelsey said.
Strole represented one of the students in the case against KU law professor Emil Tonkovich. The female student represented by Strole alleged that she had been sexually harassed by Tonkovich.
Kelsey said that Altevogt had asked for assistance from the two attorneys because Altevogt was familiar with Strole's work with students on a variety of cases, including alcohol violations.
But Kelsey said she thought the group would handle most cases without having to consult her or Strole.
"There are other people within the group with experience," she said. "We are there to provide immediate legal counsel in various issues that may arise."
Altevogt said any legal fees would be paid by members of the advocacy group. He said the group was not seeking any outside funding.
Jeff Russell, head of Student Senate's Student Rights Committee and member of the advocacy group, said the group was working closely with the committee.
Russell said the group was collecting information on the grievance policies of each academic department on campus.
"That's one of the main problems with the system currently," he said.
Many of the department's procedures are completely different from each other, he said.
Each policy differs so much, he said, that students do not know exactly where to go with a complaint within a department.
Altevogt said that the first task of the group was to gather those policies so students could be informed of the most direct route for solving their problem.
Another concern of Altevogt's is getting the word out that the group exists, he said.
Suspects sought in bus hijacking
"If nobody knows where we are, they can't come to us for help," he said.
Letters about concerns or complaints can be addressed to the Student Advocacy Group at P.O. Box 1375, Lawrence, Kan. 66044.
CAMPUS BRIEFSE
KU police are looking for a group of young men who took a bus from in front of the Kansas Union and drove it about three blocks Friday.
The 1970 GMC bus, owned by the Lawrence Bus Co., was taken at 5:55 p.m., said Sgt. Mark Witt of KU police. No passengers were on board, and the driver was inside the Union at the time. The driver left the keys in the bus. Witt said.
The suspects drove the bus down 13th
Street and turned north onto Ohio Street,
Witt said. The bus was abandoned at 1244
Ohio St. The bus was not damaged, and no
one was injured.
No arrests have been made. Officials at Lawrence Bus Co. could not be reached for comment yesterday.
Witnesses told police that from three to six suspects were involved, Witt said. The suspects were described as white males 16 to 20 years old. They were wearing plaid flannel shirts and blue jeans. After abandoning the bus, the suspects ran north on Ohio Street and were last seen heading west on 12th Street.
Fraternity honors alumni
Kappa Sigma fraternity, 1045 Emery Road, honored three former members of the fraternity during its second annual "Hall of Fame" reception after the homecoming football game Saturday.
Robert A. Ferris, class of '34, George A. Godding, class of '39, and Paul W. Bartsch Jr., class of '55, were inducted into the fraternity's Hall of Fame in the ceremony held at the fraternity.
The Hall of Fame honors alumni of the Kappa Sigma chapter who have distinguished themselves in their careers and brought honor to the fraternity, said Lloyd Hanahan, a Kappa Sigma alumnus.
Compiled from Kansan staff reports
Continued from Page 1.
Steere said he thought that this course would benefit students because society at times tends to simplify male gender.
"Too often we say a man is a man, without really knowing what that means." Steere said.
The course will explore how factors such as power, sexuality, socioeconomic class, ethnicity, race and sports influence gender. he said
CLASS: Focusing on the man's role
Steere said he planned to use many readings from different authors. male and female.
The course also will investigate African-American males. Steere said a section would compare the expected roles of African-American males with those of white males.
The course was developed because no course was offered at KU that focused on a man's role in
"We have a lot of strengths in the area of women's studies, but we've never really focused on the male gender." Steere said.
Steere said that his interest in the course was related to his interest in the American family.
Staci Hayob, Overland Park senior, said of the class: "I think it would be interesting to see how the male gender role has evolved to what it is today compared to in the past. It sounds like it might get pretty intense during discussions, though."
Doug McIntyre, Overland Park senior, said he did not know if an entire course on male gender interested him.
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