Several faculty have suggested that the Office of the Registrar create a web page summarizing recent University Senate actions relating to academic records. The Senate took a number of pertinent actions in 2003-2004:

November 10, 2003  Link to Senate Minutes

• Changed the minimum grade required for transfer to the University from C- to C.

• Eliminated the "L" grade, effective Spring 2004. Previously, the "L" had been used to indicate courses for which the grades were late. In the future, late grades will be left blank.

• Required that all final examinations for undergraduate courses be held at the time assigned by the Registrar during final exam week. Previously, classes that did not meet during a standard time block had their final exam in the last class period.

• Eliminated the retention of the "I" grade after a student successfully completed the work for the course. Previously, the "I" was retained and the new grade would appear as "IA" or "IB", etc. This change took effect immediately.

• Passed a resolution concerning the length of Intersession courses: "Any intersession equivalent of a 3-credit or 4-credit fall or spring semester course must meet the same number of hours as would be scheduled in a regular semester and must meet a minimum of 15 separate days (a minimum of 13 days, 1 reading day, and 1 final exam day) whenever the calendar allows. Normally, the only exceptions will involve class days that are cancelled due to inclement weather."

April 12, 2004  Link to Senate Minutes

• Allowed departments to request that courses be temporarily removed from the Undergraduate Catalog without Senate action. If the course is not offered over a period of five years, the Registrar's Office will declare the course inactive. Prior to canceling such courses, the Registrar will contact the responsible academic department or unit to confirm that the department has no plans to offer the course in the following academic year.

• Changed the bylaw that stated a student whose absence from a final examination was not excused shall fail the course to read: "A student whose absence from a final examination is not excused in this way shall receive no credit for this examination. A student whose absence is excused by the Dean of Students shall have an opportunity to take an examination without penalty." This does not change the regulation that "X" grades not made up by the end of the third week of the next semester of registration convert to "XF". 

May 3, 2004  Link to Senate Minutes

• Established two guidelines for scheduling intensive session courses. First, that "the assignment of instructors"regardless if adjunct or full-time-for courses during the intensive sessions who have not taught the course during a regular 14-week school term is inappropriate". And second, that "department heads should approve courses for intensive sessions only after determining that the proposed course will be fully equivalent in coverage, depth, and rigor to a course taught during a regular 14-week session.  Certain three-credit and four-credit courses are not recommended for intensive sessions: courses that require hours in the laboratory or studio, or skill courses, such as writing "W" courses."

• Established a six-month deadline for the initial appeal of grades: A student who believes that an error in grading has occurred and wishes to request a review by the instructor of record must do so within six months of the course grade having been posted.  If the instructor of record cannot be contacted, the student should contact the Department Head. If the instructor agrees that a change is justified, the instructor will initiate the grade change according to the procedure in the previous section of the by-laws. Individual schools and colleges may have more stringent requirements.

For more information, see the University Senate web site: http://senate.uconn.edu/