University of Maryland Eastern Shore 2000-02 Catalog

Appendix

General Education Requirements
Arbitrary and Capricious Grading
The Honors Program

TITLE 13B MARYLAND HIGHER EDUCATION COMMISSION
Subtitle 02 ACADEMIC REGULATIONS
Subtitle 06 GENERAL EDUCATION AND TRANSFER Authority: Education Article, 11-201 - 11-206
Annotated Code of Maryland

01. Scope and Applicability This chapter applies only to public institutions of higher education.

02. Definitions

A. In this chapter, the following terms have the meanings indicated.

B. Terms defined.

(1) "A.A. degree" means the Associate of Arts degree.

(2) "A.A.S. degree" means the Associate of Applied Sciences degree.

(3) "Arts" means courses that examine aesthetics and the development of the aesthetic form and explore the relationship between theory and practice. Courses in this area may include fine, performing and studio art, appreciation of the arts, and history of the arts.

(4) "A.S. degree" means the Associate of Sciences degree.

(5) "Biological and Physical Sciences" means courses that examine living systems and the physical universe. They introduce students to the variety of methods used to collect, interpret, and apply scientific data, and to an understanding of the relationship between scientific theory and application.

(6) "English composition courses" means courses that provide students with communication knowledge and skills appropriate to various writing situations, including intellectual inquiry and academic research.

(7) "General Education" means the foundation of the higher education curriculum providing a coherent intellectual experience for all students.

(8) "General Education Program" means a program that is designed to introduce undergraduates to the fundamental knowledge, skills, and values that are essential to the study of academic disciplines, to encourage the pursuit of life-long learning, and to foster the development of educated members of the community and the world.

(9) "Humanities" means courses that examine the values and cultural heritage that establish the framework for inquiry into the meaning of life. Courses in the humanities may include the language, history, literature, and philosophy of Western and other cultures.

(10) "Mathematics" means courses that provide students with numerical, analytical, statistical and problem-solving skills.

(11) "Native Student" means a student whose initial college enrollment was at a given institution of higher education and who has not transferred to another institution of higher education since that initial enrollment.

(12) "Parallel Program" means the program of study (or course) at one institution of higher education which has comparable objectives as those at another higher education institution, e.g. a transfer program in psychology in a community college is definable as a parallel program to a baccalaureate psychology program at a four year institution of higher education.

(13) "Receiving Institution" means the institution of higher education at which a transfer student currently desires to enroll.

(14) "Recommended Transfer Program" means a planned program of courses, both general education and courses in the major, taken at the community college which is applicable to a baccalaureate program at a receiving institution; ordinarily the first two years of the baccalaureate degree.

(15) "Sending Institution" means the institution of higher education of most recent previous enrollment by a transfer student at which transferable academic credit was earned.

(16) "Social and Behavioral Sciences" means courses that examine the psychology of individuals and the ways in which individuals, groups, or segments of society behave, function, and influence one another. They include, but are not limited to subjects which focus on history and cultural diversity; on the concepts of groups, work and political systems; on the applications of qualitative and quantitative data so social issues; and on the interdependence of individuals; society, and the physical environment.

(17) "Transfer Student" means a student entering an institution for the first time with academic credit earned at another institution, which is applicable for credit at the institution, the student is entering.

.03 General Education Requirements for Public Institutions.

A. While public institutions have the autonomy to design their general education program to meet their unique needs and mission, that program shall conform to the definitions and common standards in this chapter. A public institution shall satisfy the general education requirement by:

(1) Requiring each program leading to the A.A. or A.S. degree to include not less than 30 and nor more than 36 semester hours and each baccalaureate degree program to include not less that 40 or no more than 46 semester hours required core courses, with the core requiring, at a minimum, coursework in each of the following five areas.

(a) Arts and Humanities;

(b) Social and Behavioral Sciences;

(c) Biological and Physical Sciences;

(d) Mathematics; and

(e) English Composition.

(2) Conforming with COMAR 13B.02.02.16D(2)(b)-(c).

B. General education programs of public institutions shall require at least:

(1) One course in each of two disciplines in arts and humanities;

(2) One course in each of two disciplines in social and behavioral sciences;

(3) Two science courses, at least one of which must be a laboratory course;

(4) One course in mathematics at or above the level of college algebra; and

(5) One course in English composition.

C. Interdisciplinary and Emerging Issues.

(1) In addition to the five required areas in §A of this regulation, a public institution may include up to eight semester hours in sixth category that addresses emerging issues that institutions have identified as essential to a full program of general education for their students. These courses may:

(a) Be integrated into other general education courses or may be presented as separate courses; and

(b) Include courses that:

(i) Provide an interdisciplinary examination of issues across the five areas; or

(ii) Address other categories of knowledge, skills, and values that lie outside of the five areas.

(2) Public institutions may not include the courses in this section in a general education program unless they provide academic content and rigor equivalent to the areas in §A (1) of this Regulation.

D. General education programs leading to the A.A.S degree shall include at least 20 semester hours from the same course list designated by the sending institution for the A.A. and A.S. degrees. The A.A.S. degree shall include at least one 3-semester hour course from each of the five areas listed in §.03A(1).

E. A course in a discipline listed in more than one of the areas of general education may be applied only to one area of general education.

F. A public institution may allow a speech communication or foreign language course to be part of the arts and humanities category.

G. Composition and literature courses may be placed in the Arts and Humanities area if literature is included as part of the content of the course.

H. Public institutions may not include physical education skill courses as part of the general education requirements.

I. All general education courses shall reflect current scholarship in the discipline and provide reference to theoretical frameworks and methods of inquiry appropriate to academic disciplines.

J. Courses that are theoretical may include applications, but all applications course shall include theoretical components if they are to be included as meeting general education requirements.

K. Public institutions may incorporate knowledge and skills involving the use of quantitative data, effective writing, information retrieval, and information literacy where possible in the General Education Program.

L. Notwithstanding §A (1) of this Regulation, a public four-year institution may require 48 semester hours of required core courses upon which the institution's curriculum is based carry 4 semester hours.

M. Public institutions shall develop systems to ensure that courses approved for inclusion on the list of general education courses are designed and assessed to comply with the requirements of this chapter.

N. A public college or university shall notify all other public degree-granting institutions of its intention to adopt a new lower-division course for general education credit at least six months prior to offering the course for general education credit.

.04. Transfer of General Education Credit.

A. A student transferring to one public institution from another public institution shall receive general education credit for work completed at the student's sending institution as provided by this Chapter.

B. A completed general education program shall transfer without further review or approval by the receiving institution and without the need for a course-by-course match.

C. Courses that are defined, as general education by one institution shall transfer as general education even if the receiving institution does not have that specific course or has not designated that course as general education.

D. The receiving institution shall give lower-division general education credits to a transferring student who has taken any part of the lower-division general education credits described in Regulation .03 of this Chapter at a public institution for any general education courses successfully completed at the sending institution.

E. Except as provided in Regulation .03L of this Chapter, a receiving institution may not require a transfer student who has completed the requisite number of general education credits at any public college or university to take, as a condition of graduation, more than 10-16 additional semester hours of general education and specific courses required of all students at the receiving institution, with the total number not to exceed 46 semester hours. This provision does not relieve students of the obligation to complete specific academic program requirements or course prerequisites required by a receiving institution.

F. Each sending institution shall designate on or with the student transcript those courses that have met its general education requirements, as well as indicate whether the student has completed the general education program.

G. A.A.S. Degrees.

(1) While there may be variance in the numbers of hours of general education required for A.A., A.S., and A.A.S. degrees at a given institution, the courses identified as meeting general education requirements for all degrees shall come from the same general education course list and exclude technical or career courses.

(2) An A.A.S. student who transfers into a receiving institution with fewer than the total number of general education credits as designated by the receiving institution shall complete the difference in credits according to the distribution as designated by the receiving institution. Except as provided in §03M, the total general education credits for baccalaureate degree-granting public receiving institutions shall not exceed 46 semester hours.

H. Student responsibilities. A student is held:

(1) Accountable for the loss of credits that:

(a) Result from changes in the individual's selection of the major program of study;

(b) Were earned for remedial coursework; or

(c) Exceed the total course credits accepted in transfer as allowed by this Chapter.

(2) Responsible for meeting all requirements of the academic program of the receiving institution.

.05 Transfer of Non-General Education Program Credit.

A. Credit earned at any public institution on the State shall be transferable to any other public institution if the:

(1) Credit is from a college or university parallel course or program;

(2) Grades in the block of courses transferred average 2.0 or higher; and

(3) Acceptance of the credit is consistent with the policies of the receiving institution governing students following the same program.

B. Credit earned in or transferred from a community college is limited to:

(1) ½ the baccalaureate degree program requirement, but may not be more than 70 semester hours; and

(2) The first two years of the undergraduate educational experience.

C. Nontraditional Credit.

(1) The assignment of credit for AP, CLEP, or other nationally recognized standardized examination scores presented by transfer students is determined according to the same standards that apply to native students in the receiving institution, and the assignment shall be consistent with the State minimum requirements.

(2) Transfer credit from the following areas shall be consistent with COMAR 13B.02.02. and shall be evaluated by the receiving institution on a course-by-course basis;

(a) Technical courses from career programs;

(b) Course credit awarded through articulation agreements with other segments or agencies;

(c) Credit awarded for clinical practice or cooperative education experiences; and

(d) Credit awarded for life and work experiences.

(3) The basis for the awarding of the credit shall be indicated on the student's transcript by the receiving institution.

(4) The receiving institution shall inform transfer students of the procedures for validation of coursework for which there is no clear equivalency. Examples of validation procedures include ACE recommendations, portfolio assessment, and credit through challenge, examinations and satisfactory completion of the next course in sequence in the academic area.

(5) The receiving baccalaureate degree-granting institution shall use validation procedures when a transferring student successfully completes a course at the lower division level that the receiving institution offers at the upper division level. The validated credits earned for the course shall be substituted for the upper division course.

D. Program Articulation

(1) Recommended transfer programs shall be developed through consultation between the sending and receiving institutions. A recommended transfer program represents an agreement between the two institutions that allows students aspiring to the baccalaureate degree to plan their programs. These programs constitute freshman/sophomore level coursework to be taken at the community college in fulfillment of the receiving institution's lower division coursework requirement.

(2) Recommended transfer programs in effect at the time that this regulation takes effect, which conform to this chapter, may be retained.

.06 Academic Success and General Well-Being of Transfer Students.

A. Sending Institutions.

(1) Community colleges shall encourage their students to complete the Associate degree or to complete 56 hours in a recommended transfer program, which includes both general education courses and courses applicable to ward the program at the receiving institution.

(2) Community college students are encouraged to choose as early as possible the institution and program into which they expect to transfer.

(3) The sending institution shall:

(a) Provide to community college students' information about the specific transferability of courses at 4-year colleges.

(b) Transmit information about transfer students who are capable of honors work or independent study to the receiving institution.

(c) Promptly supply the receiving institution with all the required documents provided the student has met all financial and other obligations of the sending institution for transfer.

B. Receiving Institutions

(1) Admission requirements and curriculum prerequisites shall be stated explicitly in institutional publications.

(2) The receiving institution shall admit transfer students from newly established public colleges that are functioning with approval of the Maryland High Education Commission on the same basis as applicants from regionally accredited colleges.

(3) The receiving institution shall evaluate the transcripts of degree seeking transfer students as expeditiously as possible, and notify students of the results no later than mid-semester of the students' first semester of enrollment at the receiving institution provided that all official transcripts have been received at least 15 working days before mid-semester. The receiving institution shall inform students of which courses are acceptable for transfer credit and which of those areas applicable to the student's intended program of study.

(4) The receiving institution shall give transfer students the option of satisfying institutional graduation requirements that were in effect at the receiving institution at the time the student enrolled as a freshman at the sending institution. In the case of major requirements, a transfer student may satisfy the major requirements in effect at the time when the student was identifiable as pursuing the recommended transfer program at the sending institution. These conditions are applicable to the student who has been continuously enrolled at the sending institution.

.07 Programmatic Currency

A. Receiving institutions shall provide to the community college current and accurate information on recommended transfer programs and the transferability status of courses. Community college students shall have access to this information.

B. Recommended transfer programs shall be developed with each community college whenever new baccalaureate programs are approved by the degree-granting institution.

C. When considering curricular changes, institutions shall notify each other of the proposed changes that might affect transfer students. An appropriate mechanism shall be created to ensure that both two and four-year public colleges provide input or comments to the institution proposing the change. Sufficient lead-time shall be provided to affect the change with minimum disruption. Transfer students are not required to repeat equivalent coursework successfully completed at the community college.

.08 Transfer Mediation Committee

A. There shall be a Transfer Mediation Committee, which shall be representative of the public four-year colleges and universities and the community colleges, appointed by the Secretary.

B. Sending and receiving institutions that disagree on the interpretation of the transfer of general education courses as defined by this Chapter shall submit their disagreements to the Transfer Mediation Committee. The Transfer Mediation Committee shall also address questions raised by any institutions about the acceptability of new general education courses. As appropriate, the committee shall consult with faculty on curricular issues.

C. The findings of the Transfer Mediation Committee shall be considered binding on both parties.

.09 Appeal Process

A. Notice of Denial of Transfer credit by the Receiving Institution

(1) Except as provided in §A92) of this Regulation, the receiving institution shall inform a transfer student in writing of the denial of transfer credit not later than mid-semester of the transfer student's first semester provided that all official transcripts have been received at least 15 working days before mid-semester.

(2) If transcripts are submitted after 15 working days before mid-semester of the student's first semester, the receiving institution shall inform the student of credit denied within 20 working days of receipt of the official transcript.

(3) The receiving institution shall include in the notice of denial of transfer credit:

(a) A statement of the student's right to appeal; and

(b) A notification that the appeals process is available in the institution's catalog.

(4) The statement of the student's right to appeal the denial shall include notice of the time limitations in §b of this regulation.

B. A student believing that the receiving institution has denied the student transfer credits in violation of this chapter may initiate an appeal by contacting the receiving institution's Transfer Coordinator or other responsible official of the receiving institution within 20 working days of receiving notice of the denial of credit.

C. Response by Receiving Institution

(1) The receiving institution shall establish expeditious and simplified procedures governing the appeal of a denial of transfer of credit.

(2) The receiving institution shall respond to the student appeal within 10 working days.

(3) The institution may either grant or deny the appeal. The institution's reasons for denying an appeal must be consistent with these policies and conveyed to the student in written form.

(4) Unless the student appeals to the sending institution, this written decision constitutes the receiving institution's final decision and is not subject to appeal.

D. Appeal to Sending Institution

(1) If the student has been denied transfer credit after an appeal to the receiving institution, the student may request the sending institution to intercede on his/her behalf by contacting the Transfer Coordinator of the sending institution.

(2) The student must make this appeal to the sending institution within 10 working days (2 weeks) Of having received the decision of the receiving institution.

E. Consultation between Sending and Receiving Institutions

(1) representatives of the two institutions shall have 15 working days (3 weeks) to resolve the issues involved in the appeal.

(2) As a result of this consultation, the receiving institution may affirm, modify, or reverse its earlier decision.

(3) The receiving institution shall inform the student in writing of the result of the consultation.

(4) The decision arising out of this consultation shall constitute the final decision of the receiving institution and is not subject to appeal.

.10 Periodic Review

A. Reports by receiving Institutions

(1) The receiving institution shall annually report the progress of students who transfer from two-year and four-year institutions within the State to each community college and to the Secretary of the Maryland Higher Education Commission.

(2) The annual reports shall include longitudinal reports on the subsequent academic success of enrolled transfer students, including graduation rates, by major subject areas.

(3) The receiving institution shall include in the reports comparable information on the progress of native students.

B. Transfer Coordinator

(1) Each public institution of higher education shall designate a Transfer Coordinator, who serves as a resource person to transfer students at either the sending or receiving campus. The Transfer coordinator is responsible for overseeing the application of the policies and procedures outlined in this plan and interpreting transfer policies to the individual student and to the institution.

C. The Maryland Higher Education Commission shall establish a permanent Student Transfer Advisory Committee that meets regularly to review transfer issues and recommend policy changes as needed. The student Transfer Advisory Committee shall address issues of interpretation and implementation of this chapter.

Des.gened5.fin Note: These guidelines are subject to change by the Maryland Higher Education Commission (MHEC).

UMES Procedures for Review of Alleged Arbitrary and Capricious Grading Campus Policy
#III-1.20 (A) 1-1-92

A. Definitions

1. "Arbitrary and Capricious Grading"

a. The assignment of a course grade to a student on some basis other then performance in the course, or

b. The assignment of a course grade to a student by unreasonable application of standards different from standards that were applied to other students that were in that course, or

c. The assignment of a course grade by a substantial and unreasonable departure from the instructors initially articulated standards.

2. "Student" Student refers to any individual in attendance at UMES, and includes both undergraduate and graduate levels.

3. "Instructor" Instructor refers to any tenured or non-tenured teacher or any Graduate Assistant Teaching a course and assigning grades at UMES.

4. "Day to Days"

Refer to normal working day at UMES.

B. Informal Procedures

5. A student who believes he or she has received an improper final grade in a course should inform the instructor promptly. The instructor shall meet with the student at a mutually convenient time and place within ten days of receipt of the information. The purpose of the meeting is to attempt to reach a resolution.

6. If the instructor has left the University, is an approved leave, or cannot be reached by the student, the student should contact the Department Chairperson. The Department Chairperson, or a designee, shall meet with the student as described above to solve the problem.

C. Formal Appeal

A formal appeal is available only upon a showing that the informal process has been exhausted.

7. General Requirements

a. An appeal must be made in writing, addressed to the appropriate dean and contain: - the course title and number, - the instructor's name - a statement detailing why the grade is believed to be arbitrary and capricious as defined in this policy, and providing all relevant supporting evidence.

b. An appeal must be received in the Dean's Office within 20 (twenty) days of the first day of instruction of the next semester (excluding summer).

8. Procedures

a. Each school shall have a standing committee of two tenured professors and one senior level student for the undergraduate school or graduate student for the graduate school to hear appeals of arbitrary and capricious grading. The appeal shall be heard within the academic unit offering the course. If the instructor of the course is a member of the committee, that instructor shall be replaced by an alternate designated by the dean.

b. Each written appeal is to be reviewed by the entire committee for a decision by the majority. The committee shall either dismiss the appeal, or move it forward.

c. Grounds for dismissal are: - the student has submitted the same complaint to any other grievance procedure; - the allegations, if true, would not constitute arbitrary and capricious grading; - the appeal was not timely; - the informal process has not been exhausted.

d. If the appeal is dismissed, the committee shall notify the student in writing within ten days of the decision, and include the reason or reasons for the dismissal.

e. If the appeal is not dismissed, the committee shall submit a copy of the appeal to the instructor. The instructor must reply in writing to the committee within ten days.

f. If, based on the instructor's reply, the committee feels there is a viable solution, that solution should be pursued with student and the instructor.

g. If no solution is reached, a fact-finding meeting with the student and the instructor shall be held promptly. It is to be non-adversarial and informal with neither party represented by an advocate. Witnesses may be asked to make a statement to the committee if the committee is informed prior to the meeting. The meeting shall not be open to the public.

h. The committee shall meet privately at the close of the fact-finding meeting to decide whether a majority believes the evidence supports the allegation of arbitrary and capricious grading beyond a reasonable doubt.

i. The committee shall notify the student, the instructor, and the Dean in writing of the decision within five days of the meeting.

D. Authority of the Committee

9. The committee has the authority to take any action it believes will bring about substantial justice, including but not limited to:

a. directing the professor to grade the student's work anew;

b. directing the instructor to administer a new final exam or paper;

c. directing the cancellation of the student's registration in a course;

d. directing the award of a grade of "pass" in the course.

10. The committee does not have the authority to:

a. assign a letter grade for the course.

b. Reprimand or take disciplinary action against the instructor.

11. The decision of the committee is final, and binding on both parties. The decision may not be appealed to any other body with UMES or the University System of Maryland.

E. Implementation

The Dean shall be responsible for implementing the decision of the committee.

The Honors Program

MISSION

The primary mission of the Honors Program at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore (UMES) is to prepare academically talented students for entry into graduate and professional schools. Facilitating the entry of those from professionally underrepresented groups within the State is a priority.

THE HONORS PROGRAM COMMITTEE

Faculty and administrators from UMES, the University of Maryland at Baltimore (UMAB) and the Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine (VMRCVM) comprise The Honors Program Committee.

The Committee is responsible for the organization and continued operation of the program. This cooperative venture allows the UMES undergraduate campus and the professional school campuses at UMAB and VMRCVM to motivate students from the beginning of their undergraduate preparation with a holistic approach to their major subject area and to give more coherent direction to their training, while insuring them of a broad liberal arts background.

The admission of students, development of curricula, academic and personal advisement, guidance and counseling, and the evaluation of both students and program are at the discretion of The Honors Program Committee.

COMPONENTS

There is one honors program at UMES. However, students meeting admission requirements of the Honors Program may elect to pursue a course of study in one of three components of honors education:

UMES-UMAB Honors is a cooperative effort between the Eastern Shore campus and the professional schools at Baltimore (UMAB). Initiated in the fall of 1979, its purpose is to overcome under-representation in the professions among minority groups, students from rural areas, and women. Students interested in pursuing careers in allied health, dentistry, law, medicine, nursing, pharmacy, physical therapy, or social work are eligible for admission.

The UMES-UMAB Honors component is designed so students entering as freshmen or sophomores are simultaneously tracked to the appropriate professional school at the Baltimore campus. Students pursue a prescribed curriculum approved by The Honors Program Committee. Preference is given to Maryland residents. Once accepted into the program, students are required to maintain a 3.300 grade point average or better in all honors courses, as well as on a semester basis and cumulatively for all courses taken. Before entering UMAB, students must earn a satisfactory score on the professional school's entrance examination.

In cooperation with the Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine, in the fall of 1989, UMES began the UMES-VMRCVM Honors component. The program is designed for high ability Maryland minority students seeking to pursue a career in veterinary medicine. Entrance and performance requirements for students are similar to those applying for and admitted into the UMES-UMAB Honors component. Acceptable GRE scores are also required.

The General Honors component is designed to complement almost any major area of study offered at UMES. The purpose of the component is to provide enriched programming at the baccalaureate level for academically talented students aspiring to attend graduate school. Preference is given to students who plan to enter a Ph.D. program immediately following graduation from UMES. Students are required to take a graduate school entrance examination and to make application for graduate studying during the senior year.

ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS

Students who enter the Honors Program must have graduated from an accredited high school. Preference is given to Maryland residents. Successful academic preparation in the sciences, mathematics, and humanities is necessary to be competitive for admission, as are above average SAT scores. Normally, students are admitted at the beginning of the fall semester. Applications received prior to February 1 are given priority. Students are encouraged to apply for admission no later than March 1 of the year of desired admission.

Admission into the Honors Program is selective. In making application to any component of the Honors Program, the following procedures should be adhered:

The applicant should complete a University of Maryland Eastern Shore application and indicate at the top of the first page that admission into The Honors Program is sought. The application and a copy of an official transcript with SAT scores should be forwarded to the UMES Office of Admissions and Registration.
At least two letters of recommendation are required from science, mathematics, or English teachers who have instructed the applicant. The recommendations and a list of extracurricular activities, honors and awards earned while in high school should be sent to The Honors Program office.
The applicant should submit a personal essay to The Honors Program office indicating why the major area of study has been chosen and why admission into honors is desired. Any additional information the applicant wishes considered that is not included elsewhere in the application should also be included in the personal essay:

If the full and complete application indicates the applicant may qualify for the Honors Program, an interview at UMES may be scheduled. Applicants are notified by the director of their acceptance or not into the program prior to April 15 of the year in which admission is sought.

HONORS SCHOLARSHIPS

Students accepted into the Honors Program are automatically eligible for Honors Merit Scholarships. Maryland Distinguished Scholars, National Merit Finalists and National Achievement Finalists receive Merit-Plus Scholarship Awards. No separate application is required. Awards to entering freshmen are based strictly on merit and academic promise. Financial need is not considered. Scholarships vary in amount, but may include the full cost of room, board and tuition. Awards are renewable for three additional years providing good academic standing in the program is maintained. Applications should be submitted early for scholarship consideration.