After extensive communication with Student Government concerning the extension of the date to drop classes without a “W,” the Faculty Senate’s Admissions, Standards and Honors Committee denied the resolution to extend the date on Friday.
SG began working on the extension plan in June and presented Resolution 10-13 “Withdrawal Date Policy Revision” to the Faculty Senate at its October meeting. The current policy states students must drop a course by the sixth class day to avoid penalty.
The resolution, which asked the faculty’s support of a two-day extension of the drop date, was moved by the Senate to the ASH Committee, according to Thomas Rodgers, SG assistant director of Academics and mass communication sophomore.
If the committee were to approve the extension, it would then return to the Faculty Senate for a vote, he said. Three meetings were held between the two groups, but only one yielded results.
During the first two meetings, held Oct. 15 and Nov. 5, SG representatives presented the committee with reasons why the extension would be effective.
“The drop date is a pressing concern for students,” said Jeffrey Wale, SG director of academics and political science senior, at the Nov. 5 meeting.
Wale said students were unable to form opinions about some courses within the allotted time period in place. For example, students would have less time to evaluate a class held on Tuesday and Thursday since those classes would only meet twice before the drop date.
He said students have complained that the first day of a course is typically centered around the syllabus and course objectives and nothing more.
Committee members discussed this view, arguing not all courses take that approach and that students will have less options in the future and may have to take a course they may not necessarily enjoy.
“We are offering fewer class offerings,” said Robert Doolos, University registrar, on Nov. 5. “It will only get harder over the years.”
Doolos also questioned the effects of the extension on the number of waitlisted students.
The committee motioned to move the voting process until a later date, pending solid figures about the number of students who add and drop on the sixth day of each semester.
SG Academics leaders met with Doolos and members of the committee before the final meeting and worked out a compromise for the resolution. The compromise was to extend the period by just one day instead of two and evaluate the results after one year of implementation.
In the latest meeting, held Nov. 19, the committee reviewed the numbers and discussed the new compromise.
“I’m not sure [extending the date] will have the effect you want,” said William Armstrong, committee chair and LSU Libraries senator.
Stacia Haynie, outgoing vice provost for Academic Affairs, said the extension may have a negative effect, making it easier to drop courses without adding one in return.
“We need students to be in 15 hours to be on track to graduate,” she said. “We don’t want to make the opportunity to where you can schedule 19 hours and drop three.”
Rodgers countered, saying it’s the students’ responsibility to graduate on time.
Before motioning for a vote, the committee requested all students leave the room.
Robert Perlis, committee member and Sciences senator, said Monday the committee “did not wish to advance the appeal.”
“The students made a passionate plea, but it did not convince the committee,” Perlis said.
Rodgers said he was disappointed in the result of the vote and in the lack of notification from the committee.
“We worked hard and presented an argument that represented the students,” Rodgers said. “I think the full Faculty Senate should have made a decision, not a subcommittee.”
 
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Contact Sydni Dunn at [email protected]