March 17-18, 2005

ITEM 126-105-R0305  Minimum Course Grades

THAT: The Board of Regents of Higher Education approves the attached policy concerning minimum course grades.

 

EXPLANATION: The policy was developed in response to recommendation 5 of the Legislative Audit concerning transfer of credit practices within the Montana University System. The proposed policy was shared with faculty representatives from throughout the System, the chief academic officers and Regent Kala French and her student colleagues.

The policy will be effective immediately upon adoption by the Montana Board of Regents.

Data will be collected to monitor the effectiveness of the policy. At this point, the specific data is still being discussed, primarily because each of the transfer audit policies will include an assessment and monitoring piece. The data work group will review all of the possible assessment items, and develop a comprehensive and integrated package, once all of the transfer policies are ready for presentation to the Board. That data piece will be on the May 2005 agenda of the Board. The following assessment process is being considered for this policy:

  • number of students who lost credits because of this policy each year;
  • number of credits lost because of this policy each year;
  • number of students, at two-year campuses or in A.A.S. programs, who are permitted to use grades below a "C", by institution;
  • three-year graduation rates for the students identified in the previous bullet;
  • four-year programs that require a "C" or better in program coursework or general education coursework, by campus; list will be maintained by the Office of the Commissioner of Higher Education.