Student Government has been tackling many changes in academics this summer, including revising the W grade policy.Students receive a W when they drop a course after the established drop date.The new policy does not change the number of W grades allowed, but it does change how many are allowed per hours earned.The original policy allowed 3 W’s during the first 30 hours of classes, and 1 W for each 30 hours after that.The new policy allows 3 W’s during the first 60 hours of classes, 3 W’s in the next 60 hours of classes, and only 1 W for any hours past that.”At the request of Student Government, the University revised the W Grade policy,” said University Registrar Robert Doolos in an email to undergraduate students. “The revised policy goes into effect with the 2010 fall semester.”Students cannot exceed their number of W’s unless allowed by the dean of their college, and W’s cannot be carried forward.SG Vice President Dani Borel said the W policy change happened two years ago, but it takes two years for anything academic to change.”If you compare our W policy to those in the [Southeastern Conference], you’ll see that we have a very stringent policy,” Borel said. “We think it’ll really help students, and we are looking at making new changes that we’re working on right now.”Former SG President Colorado Robertson accomplished the W policy change two years ago when he was in office.”We partnered with Student Senate, and we were able to get it passed during Faculty Senate,” Robertson said.Robertson said it shows how SG listened to a problem brought up by students during campaigning and saw it all the way through. Although it takes a long time, it shows how SG can have an effect on major policy changes at the University.”Hopefully it’ll be better for upperclassmen and for students to have more control over their W policy and have more flexibility,” Robertson said. “It allows us to manage and maintain our academic standards.”
 
 
 
—-Contact Catherine Threlkeld at [email protected]