ITEM122-113-R0104 - Attachment B

SUBJECT: ACADEMIC AFFAIRS
Policy 301.1 - Admissions requirements; in-state undergraduates
Effective _____; Issued _____

A. Board policy:

1. A graduate of any Montana high school which is accredited by the Board of Public Education may enter any four-year campus of the Montana University System as a first-time, full-time undergraduate student, provided:

a)       the graduate meets the College Preparatory Program outlined in Section 301.7 A.4. below; and

b)       and at least one of the following requirements:

a. (1) for admission to Montana State University-Northern and The University of Montana-Western has obtained a score of at least 20 on the Enhanced (Composite) American College Testing (ACT) test or a score of at least 960 on the total verbal/math exam of the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) for admission to Montana State University-Northern and TheUniversity of Montana-Western, ; (2)for admission to Montana State University-Billings, Montana Tech of The University of Montana, Montana State University-Bozeman and The University of Montana-Missoula, has obtained a score of at least 22 on the Enhanced (Composite) American College Testing (ACT) test or a score of at least 1030 on the total verbal/math exam of the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT). ,for admission toMontana State University-Billings, Montana Tech of The University ofMontana, Montana State University-Bozeman, and The University of Montana-Missoula. The campuses identified in 1.a.(1) aboveMontana State University-Northern and The University of Montana-Western may request permission from the Board of Regents to raise the Enhanced (Composite) American College Testing (ACT) test score or the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) total verbal/math exam score to those specified for The University of Montana-Missoula, Montana State University-Bozeman, Montana StateUniversity-Billings, and Montana Tech of The University of Montana,the other four-year campuses of the Montana University System;

Orb. (2) has obtained at least a 2.5 high school grade point average (GPA);

Orc. (3) ranks in the upper half of the school's graduating class.

2. In addition to the admissions requirements set out in Section A.1., any student seeking admission to a four-year program at Montana State University-Bozeman, Montana State University-Billings, Montana State University-Northern, The University of Montana-Missoula, Montana Tech of the University of Montana, and The University of Montana-Western must satisfy a mathematics proficiency standard. That standard is as follows:

a) for Fall 2004 and Fall 2005, students must earn a minimum mathematics (quantitative) score of:

       16 on the ACT,

       390 on the SAT, or

       a score of 3 or above on the AP Calculus AB or BC Subject Examinations;

b) for Fall 2006, students must earn a minimum mathematics (quantitative) score of:

       **17 on the ACT,

       **420 on the SAT, or

       **a score of 3 or above on the AP Calculus AB or BC Subject Examinations;

c) for Fall 2007 and the following years, students must earn a minimum mathematics (quantitative) score of:

       **18 on the ACT,

       **440 on the SAT, or

       **a score of 3 or above on the AP Calculus AB or BC Subject Examinations.

d) in lieu of the indicators set out in subsections A.2.a),b) and c) above, students may offer CLEP Subject Examinations in selected topics (College Algebra, College Algebra-Trigonometry, Calculus or Trigonometry) if their score on the examination meets or exceeds the ACE Recommended Score for Awarding Credit of 50 in 2003.

e) alternately, students may be excused from any testing in mathematics and deemed proficient if they complete a Rigorous High School Core including four years of mathematics in high school (Algebra I, II, geometry & a course beyond Algebra II, as outlined in the matrix attached to this policy as Appendix I) with grades of C or better in all courses.

2.3. A Montana resident who is a graduate of an out-of-state high school which is accredited by the state accrediting agency may enter any four-year campus of the Montana University System as a first-time, full-time undergraduate student provided the student meets at least one of the requirements in Section A.1 above. If that student seeks admission to a four-year program, he/she must also satisfy the mathematics proficiency standard in Section A.2. above.

4. In order to improve students' preparation for college-level work, the Board of Regents of Higher Education requires the following College Preparatory Program for students who wish to enter a four-year campus of the Montana University System:

a) four years of English; in each year, the content of the courses should have an emphasis on the development of written and oral communication skills and literature;

b) three years of mathematics which shall include Algebra I, Geometry and Algebra II (or the sequential content equivalent of these courses); students are encouraged to take a mathematics course in their senior year;

c) three years of social studies which shall include Global studies (such as World History or World Geography), American History, and Government, Economics, Indian History or other third year courses;

d) two years of laboratory science; one year must be earth science, biology, chemistry, or physics; the other year can be one of those sciences or another approved college preparatory laboratory science;

e) two years chosen from the following:

         foreign language (preferably two years)

         computer science

         visual and performing arts, or

         vocational education units which meet the Office of Public Instruction guidelines.

6.5. Nothing herein shall guarantee any person entry into any four-year campus of the Montana University System nor shall this policy be construed to restrict any unit from establishing procedures to comply with any enrollment limitations adopted by the Board of Regents.

5. An in-state transfer applicant must meet the criteria for good academic standing, as defined by the receiving institution.

B. Exemptions:

4. Institutions 1. Four-year campuses are authorized to exempt up to 15% of first-time, full-time undergraduates from the requirements of Section A.1. above for students with special talents, minorities and others who demonstrate special needs.

2. Each of the four-year campuses of the Montana University System is granted discretionary exemptions for in-state applicants who have not completed the College Preparatory Program, described in Sections A.1.a) and A.4. above, not to exceed 5 percent of the in-state enrollment of first-time, full-time first-year students.

3. The following categories of students are exempt from the requirements inof Sections A.1. and2. above:

a) non-traditional students (those who do not enter college for a period of at least three years from the date of high school graduation or from the date when they would have graduated from high school);

b) summer only students; and

c) part-time students taking seven or fewer college-level semester credits.

C. Procedures:

To implement the College Preparatory Program, and to encourage a high level of academic preparation for students who wish to continue on to higher education, the Board of Regents of Higher Education hereby adopts the following procedures:

1. Only persons who have completed the College Preparatory Program shall be eligible for

a) Regents High School Honor Scholarships

b) Other state-supported scholarships, fee waivers, or grants-in-aid awarded on the basis of academic achievement. In unusual circumstances, this provision may be waived for students who have been graduated from high school for more than three years.

2. In awarding scholarships based on academic achievement, special consideration should be given to persons who have completed available academic solids beyond those specified in the College Preparatory Program. Honors and advanced placement courses should be given extra weighting.

3. Students who enter campuses of the Montana University System without sufficient academic background may find it necessary to enroll in remedial courses which will add time and expense to the students' educational experience.

4. Students who do not meet the college preparatory requirements may eliminate their deficiency by taking courses that satisfy the requirements in summer school or as a part-time student at one of the four-year campuses of the University System, or by attending a two-year institution and transferring credit to a four-year campus of the Montana University System.

5. Institutions will be obligated to provide appropriate annual reports indicating numbers of students enrolled as exemptions and their academic progress in comparison to those students regularly admitted. At the conclusion of the period of exemptions, the Commissioner of Higher Education's Office will present a report to the Board of Regents summarizing these data with appropriate analysis and interpretation. The Commissioner's Office will also make recommendations to the Regents regarding continuation, discontinuation or modification of the discretionary exemption program.

D. Definitions:

1. For the purpose of this section, college-level work means those courses that are applicable toward an associate of arts, associate of science or baccalaureate degree at their respective institution. Such courses shall include neither remedial nor developmental courses.

1.                   In-state transfer means a Montana resident who has completed 12 or more GPA or Pass credits in college-level courses at another college or university, who is entering a new institution for the first time, and whose credits at the previous institution have been accepted by the receiving institution.

2. For the purpose of this section, GPA and Pass credit mean those college-level credits for which grade points apply toward graduation.

Cross Reference:

See Section 301.7, College Preparatory Program

APPENDIX I