The problem with the current policy is that students are not made aware of the grading assignment policy until after they are registered. It is unclear and not explicit in the WPI catalog. The current policy prevents transfer students from receiving high distinction and or makes it much more difficult to receive distinction honors. In order to receive high distinction the student would have to do a sufficiency paper, a 1/3 of a credit that the student did not account for when planning the amount of time to be spent at WPI as a transfer. CAI is writing a proposal and will be asking for senate approval, and then it will bring it to the Humanities Council and Committee on Academic Policy.
Each CSLI member has been assigned to work with two offices on campus that deal in issues of student life. These offices include Food Service, Residential Services, the Counseling and Student Development Center, Health Services, Healthy Alternatives, Career Development Center, the Office of Minority Affairs, the College Computer Center, the Instructional Media Center, and the Library. Committee members continue to meet with staff in these offices and report their status to the committee.
The committee also revised the Consortium Shuttle Bus schedule in the hopes that the Consortium will consider changing the schedule for B-term. Currently, buses arrive at WPI simultaneously and on the hour. This schedule does not accommodate WPI students in the afternoons, as a student with a 1:30 -2:20 class cannot take a shuttle to another school for a 3:00 class.
Other topics the committee may address in the near future include coin machines in the laundry facilities on campus and the issue of the current difficulties in facility reservations for student organizations.
PR's main focus this week was publicizing the elections and get a good turn out at the polls. Four different flyers were made and various senators posted them around the campus. On Friday, a banner was placed on the bridge and 6 large posters placed around campus to remind students to vote.
At last count, 28.4% of the undergraduate student body had voted in the elections, which is a record turn-out for Senate elections.
The Appropriations Committee also approved a request for emergency funding for the SGA photocopier account as drawn up by Treasurer Snow. The photocopier account is currently $1300.00 in the hole due to lack of use during the summer months. The lease must be paid each month, regardless of whether the copier is used. Hopefully, leveling the debt now with funds from the SGA Treasury will solve this problem for the time being.
A supplemental funding request from the Hispanic Students Association was tabled this past week due to lack of sufficient information on which the committee could make a decision. Alfred Andrade, the Class I Assistant Treasurer will ask the officers of the organization for the information needed, specifically a receipt from Food Services.
The need for an increase in the undergraduate social fee was also discussed, and Appropriations is working on a proposal to increase the fee to $120.00. The proposal should be solidified by the end of October and submitted to the Student Life Office. Finally, the need to hear student's opinions will be realized by a polling of the entire undergraduate student body in late October or early November. Plans include a period of electronic balloting and a couple days of paper balloting, much like this past week's elections.
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