SACRAO session T2.3 Tuesday February 13, 2018 Are Rules Really Made to Be Broken? Making discretionary calls in a world of policies Steven Reed University Registrar Belmont University SACRAO session T2.3 Tuesday February 13, 2018

A little about Belmont University Private University located in Nashville TN Total enrollment this past fall was over 8000 High expectation from our senior leadership for customer service

Why this topic of making discretionary (“exceptions”) calls in a world of policies? Many of us make exceptions and discretionary calls, but we often don’t discuss or openly share our thinking about this or any process of consideration that is discretionary or exceptions. In reviewing and considering “exceptions” to policy, there is often a decision tree or thought process. This session strives to share some of those processes that we work through.

Registrars and exceptions? We live in a world of regulations and policies, but we actually make exceptions all the time but may not think about it as such: Course substitutions Late Drop / Adds Transcript course equivalencies President says “do it anyway…”

Ultimately we are talking about decision making based on a host of criteria often in our policies, but in considering an exception it is usually based on practice, or operational experience. It is rarely random.

What we don’t touch Federal or state law. Includes VA State Scholarship Regulations Accreditation requirements that aren’t discretionary (e.g. percentage of the total credit hours in General Education) NCAA

Where we start… Is it policy that you can make a discretionary call / exception and if so what is its purpose? For example: Late Course Adds -> Helping a student make schedule adjustments; must be full-time; needed course for graduation… etc. Decision Process: How Late is “Late?”; professor approves; possible negative impacts on student; affect financials… etc.

Important consideration. Anatomy of the decision: Internal verses external? Does it make sense to the goals of the institution…. And student? Is the decision consistent and defensible? Is it unique and warranted? Does it open a Pandora’s Box and create a future problem? What are the exceptions to be an “exception” Is it the “right” thing to do? Focus on the process questions.

Most exceptions are not written into institutional policies, but some are outlined, or require some sort of an appeal. Policy Example: Students are capped at taking a maximum of 19 credit hours per semester but Belmont’s policy states a student may appeal to take more hours. Actual example: Student is trying to graduate early and petitions to take a significant course overload of 24 credit hours with the hope to graduate early.

Thought process for determination. The lines of the decision tree: What courses? What is student history of course loads? GPAs? (By term, major, minor, cumulative) Risk versus benefit. Does the student understand risk versus benefit? Ability to pay. Realistic and demonstrated ability to graduate early? Are courses all in “full term,” or are they divided over “parts of term?”

Example #1 Let’s do an easy one: Transfer student comes in with a lot of transferable equivalent hours. Total residency hour requirement (25% for degree) has not been met, but student’s transfer work plus institutional work has met all the degree requirements. Waive the 25% rule and graduate the student? No! Violates SACS (accreditation) rules.

Example #2 Another easy one ??? Student states he/she did not realize he/she were in a course and received a grade of F at the end of term and petitions to have the course removed. Did the student actually register? Can the professor confirm the student never attended? Will this change financials or full-time status? Is there a history of this request previously? Is this a new student to the university?

Example #3 Student transferred from a quarter hour institution. We require 128 semester hours to graduate. The student has met all course requirements for degree but has 126.6 semester hours. Waive the remaining hours for graduation? Was the student properly advised? Was the student taking max hours (or nearly so) each semester? Is there institutional precedent for this action? Does (did) the student have opportunity to correct in last one or two semesters?

Example #4 Residency requirement for a major is 12 institutional hours out of 30 required. The student transferred in a significant number of hours and currently has 10 institutional hours in the major. They met (or slightly exceeded) major requirements. Waive 2 hrs for institutional major residency? Does the department believe all academic content has been met? Does the institution have precedent? How close is the student to graduation? What is the student’s “major GPA?

Example #5 The student is in a particular Gen Ed path that according to our catalog requires a calculus-based Mathematics course. Student has failed that basic calculus based course twice. They need to pass the course to graduate. Waive it? Substitute it? Is this the last required course? Has the student utilized our Math Lab or Tutoring Services? Has the student met total hours for degree without the Calculus? What is the student’s Gen. Ed. and Cumulative GPA?

Example #6 Student with documented history of mental / emotional medical conditions a couple of weeks after mid-term approaches the office with parent to withdraw from the institution. Over the past couple of weeks the nature of the illness has moved the student into a position of failing all courses. The family would like grades to be “withdraw” and also would like to be considered for any tuition refund since this was a known condition.

A more complex issue so, a more complex decision tree. Do known conditions by the family and student constitute a de facto “at their own risk?” Was the student passing courses before the reported last two weeks of failing academic performance? Does a check of the date of withdrawal confirm we are beyond any institutional refund window? Are there any “accommodations” on file in Student Affairs and if so what? Was the student in a regular treatment program while enrolled? Was the student hospitalized for the condition in the semester and if so when? Is there a documented trigger date, such as hospitalization? Does this student have a history of this same type of request? Is the student balance paid in full?

Hopeful “Take aways” Know your institutional culture well. Know the authority you carry to make definitive, discretional, or exception decisions. Distinguish internal from external decisions. If in an environment that expects “customer service,” know and anticipate exceptions. Focus on the questions you consider. It builds a decision tree and process. Recognize the exceptions have “exception criteria.” (not everyone qualifies).

Questions or Shared Stories? Steven Reed, Belmont University - University Registrar steven.reed@belmont.edu