The Student Senate has become involved in the debate over the new Dean’s List and Chancellor’s Honor Roll requirements.
Earlier this semester, the Faculty Senate voted to increase the number of hours required for students to be named to the Dean’s List or Chancellor’s Honor Roll.
Currently, students must take 12 hours to be considered for either list. But, beginning in the fall, students must take a minimum of 15 hours to be considered for the lists.
At the time, one of the main reasons the Faculty Senate cited for passing the resolution increasing the hour requirement was to encourage students to graduate in four years.
But the Student Senate enrolled a resolution two weeks ago proposing that the Faculty Senate repeal the 15-hour requirement and consult with the Student Senate before any other similar rules take effect.
Theresa LoBianco, the Student Senate’s speaker pro-tempore, said the Student Senate decided on the resolution after seeing the number of student complaints about the change of hours required.
Several students have expressed concern through letters to the editor in the Reveille and to their student senators about the new requirements. Some have said it is unfair to make the Dean’s List and Honor Roll hour requirements more than those required to maintain full-time student status. Others have said students may spend more time in class than what the number of hours carried reflects.
LoBianco said the Faculty Senate has yet to respond, but members of the Student Senate discussed the matter with Faculty Senate President Carruth McGehee before finalizing the resolution.
In an e-mail, McGehee said he has not yet heard from the Student Senate, but expects to meet with some Senators soon.
LoBianco said that even if no changes come about from the discussions, at least students can say they had a voice in the matter.