The trek to graduation day could be even more adverse for students, as university administrators may, starting as early as this month, implement changes to the class standing policy.
Under the proposed policy, undergraduates wishing to attain the next higher classification will need to have completed a minimum of 30 units for sophomore standing, 60 units for junior standing, and 90 units for senior standing.
In the old class standing policy, students needed to have the same numbers of unit “”in progress””. The catch with the new policy is that the units need to be “”earned”” by registration time.
According to the proposal to change class standing and classification submitted last April by Jerry Hogle, interim vice president for instruction, “”there is evidence that full-time students are more academically successful when they take 15-18 units per semester than when they take 12-14 units.””
The new policy is focused around this “”evidence,”” as well as the idea that higher class standing cutoffs will encourage students to enroll in at least 15 units each semester.
Jamey Allen, a physiology junior, said the policy changes would make students’ mission to graduate in four years even more difficult.
“”I don’t really see how this helps anyone; everyone is going to be behind,”” Allen said. “”I am six units away from being considered a senior, so I’m still going to have to register as a junior. That does not help me get the upper division classes I need during priority registration.””
Celia O’Brien, academic advisor for the department of psychology, said that it would be questionable to assume that this policy change would cause students to take longer to earn their degree.
“”This policy change is essentially just spreading out the class standing classification more evenly throughout those 120 units,”” O’Brien said via email. “”What it may do is cut down the time that any student is classified as a senior.””
Along with the class standing changes, UA faculty and administrators have recently proposed changes to the Grade Replacement Opportunity policy.
Under the proposed GRO policy, undergraduates may only use the Grade Replacement Opportunity to repeat courses in which they received a D or E. Students will no longer be able to GRO a grade of C.
Also, only freshmen, sophomores, or students who have completed fewer than 60 credits, may GRO a course. Juniors and seniors will still be able to repeat a course but will not be able to replace the grade.
Allen said the new GRO policy seems to unfairly disregard the students in more difficult, upper-division classes.
“”The harder classes come when you are a junior and a senior,”” Allen said. “”How does it make sense to let a freshman use a GRO over a junior in a much harder, upper-division class?””
The GRO policy changes are expected to be decided in the fall and be implemented for Spring 2010.
“”I think this is just a way for the university to keep us in school longer and get more money from us,”” Allen said.
