Students displeased with the W policy, enacted this past fall, may soon have a voice for their concerns.
Ben Clark, University College Center for Freshman Year senator, said he looked into the policy after hearing student complaints.
“W” stands for withdrawal and is a letter grade that does not affect a student’s GPA. W’s are given to students who drop courses after the sixth day of class.
The policy restricts the number of W’s based on students’ credit hours. Previously, the number of allowed W’s was unrestricted.
Beginning in fall 2006, students with up to 29 credit hours are allowed three W’s. The next three tiers grant one W for each 30 credit hours. Students with more than 119 credit hours are allowed only one additional W. Unused W’s do not roll over into the next tier.
Clark said he was approached by students who expressed concern that the policy was too harsh. He said he wants to get student input about what specifically needs to be changed and how it should be changed.
Clark suggested two solutions: making the number of allowed W’s college specific or keeping the current numbers but allowing the W’s to roll over.
“We at least hope to get students aware and then try to possibly change it if [Provost Astrid Merget] is open to it,” Clark said.
Merget is an executive vice chancellor and the University’s chief academic officer.
Liz Dunn, a member of the Provost Council which allows students to voice their concerns to the provost, defended the current policy.
Dunn, the Student Government assistant director of academics, said the policy aims to help students graduate in four years. She said the policy also holds students accountable – something they might not like to admit.
“If you look at other universities that are peer universities, most of them don’t have W policies because they’re not allowed W’s – period,” Dunn said.
Assistant Vice Chancellor Jeannine Kahn, who works in the Office of Academic Affairs, said the policy’s goal was to make students aware of how important it is to plan their schedule.
“We want students to graduate in a timely manner so that they can move forward in their field of study,” Kahn said. “The W policy supports this philosophy and provides a way in which drops can be managed in an appropriate manner.”
Kahn also noted that students facing extenuating circumstances can appeal to the dean of their college for an exception to the policy.
Students offered arguments for and against the policy.
Jennifer Herzog, secondary education senior, said she supported a more lenient W policy. She said students who change their major face the possibility of accumulating a lot of W’s.
Mohsan Sheikh, business senior, said he favored the policy. He said it prevented students from scheduling classes they may not really need and may later drop.
“I definitely thought that it really helped me out with my scheduling,” Sheikh said. “Putting that policy into effect created more room for students to freely schedule.”
Michael Berhane, petroleum engineering sophomore, said he thought the policy should be more lenient. He said the University should not force students because it’s their education at stake.
Berhane said he thought SG was taking an important action by looking into the issue.
“It’s important because it’s about grades,” Berhane said. “That’s what we’re here for.”
—-Contact Daniel McBride at [email protected]