The fourteenth regularly scheduled meeting of the AY 2017-18 Faculty Senate was called to order at 3:15 pm on Monday, April 16, 2018, Hathaway Hall 123. The agenda was approved with no amendments, minutes of the April 2, 2018 regularly scheduled Faculty Senate meeting were approved with no amendments.
Rate for summer tuition has been reduced to $125 per credit hour and Greg Rush has been tasked with determining a new pay scale for summer faculty. The possibility of re-establishing a summer program for new Freshmen is under consideration.
President Hampton invited Russell Keese of Financial Aid to speak. She discussed requirements to satisfy academic support guidelines and reference www.ifap.ed.gov
Ms. Keese's summation points are as follows:
Students need to be reviewed two times per academic year (both Fall and Spring) for financial aid eligibility. When appropriate, students can be placed on financial aid warnings of suspension in the first review. 0-29 credits must establish a minimum 1.8 GPA, 30 credit hours and above require 2.0 GPA. In addition, Education requires a quantitative evaluation. Students must complete 67% of all courses attempted and Withdrawals and Incompletes registers as Fs. A student may appeal to override the suspension due to Incomplete but verifiable documentation of a serious personal situation is required.
In such circumstances, the university must establish a specific academic plan for the student, which cannot be created in the Financial Aid Office. It was unclear who is responsible for this plan. A Senator pointed out that some units have a version of this in place already. Another Senator pointed out that faculty advisors has no official way to know if a student is not doing well throughout the semester. Many advisees do not have classes with their academic advisor a given semester and are resistant to being contacted.
Time was extended for 10 minutes.
The problem was discussed of students receiving notices of suspension warnings but parents not being aware. No solution was identified. Students must sign a FERPA form to allow discussions with parents. A Senator suggested parents do not necessarily know of the FERPA form and maybe that option should be more directly communicated each semester.
Once having accumulated 180 attempted credit hours the student is no longer eligible for financial aid unless they have changed majors, after which they are allowed one more semester to complete degree.
One Senator and a non-Senator questioned the advisability of faculty and parent conversations about students. Another Senator pointed out that often students fall too far behind to catchup before midterm and that the university must do a better job of educating students about the difference between the climate of high school and college relating to success.
Ms. Keese's extension is 5750. She said that KSU is only as good as our graduation rate.
Time was extended 10 minutes.