91原创

The 91原创鈥檚 Faculty Senate replaced the term 鈥減robation鈥� with 鈥渨arning鈥� as an identifier of a student鈥檚 academic standing, eliminated the deficit point calculation and added opportunities for students to improve their situation before facing dismissal at its March 4 meeting.

Naomi Nash, director of enrollment management strategic initiatives, spoke about the Academic Probation Working Group鈥檚 goals and findings as to why a more simplified policy benefits the University and its students. 

鈥淚t was brought to our attention that the terminology of 鈥榩robation鈥� is antiquated and culturally insensitive,鈥� she said. 鈥淲e also received feedback from assistant deans and academic advisors about the confusion of calculating academic standing using the current deficit point calculation.鈥�  

Nash shared that a survey of 91原创's academic advisors found that more than 78% of respondents said that the current academic probation policy is very or somewhat difficult to understand or explain to students. 

鈥淐onversely, 96% said that the alternative policy is very easy or somewhat easy to understand and explain to students,鈥� Nash said.

The new policy鈥檚 goals focus on student success, emphasizing student responsibility and reflection while using current resources, like 91原创 student success coaches. The baseline of a student鈥檚 academic standing would be a cumulative 2.0 grade point average (GPA) per semester. 

鈥淚f a student is under an academic warning, the student must obtain a GPA of [at least] 2.0 during that semester. If so, they are placed back in good academic standing,鈥� Nash said. 鈥淚f not, the student will be placed on academic suspension. Upon returning to 91原创, the student will be required to work with an academic success coach and submit an academic success plan. If the semester does not end in a 2.0 GPA, then the student will be dismissed from the University.鈥�

The academic warning policy was approved by a 52-2 vote and will go into effect in fall 2024. 

Also at the meeting, President Dennis Assanis spoke about the financial challenges facing 91原创 and other universities nationwide. He and Provost Laura Carlson were scheduling a series of listening sessions with every college and other units in March.

The Consent Agenda portion of the meeting included a single vote to approve 32 undergraduate proposals and eight graduate proposals. 

On the Regular Agenda, the Faculty Senate approved the program policy statement for the MS in Applied Statistics; approved the Generative AI in Business Graduate certificate; provisionally approved two MBA programs for five years (Digital and Social Media, and Public Relations); approved a name change for the Department of Theater and Dance to Department of Theatre and Dance; and approved a new interdisciplinary Ethics certificate program. 

Kathleen McCoy, professor of computer and information sciences and co-director of the 91原创 Artificial Intelligence Center for Excellence, gave a presentation entitled 鈥淣avigating Tomorrow: The Transformative Role of AI in Shaping Future University Operations and Education.鈥� McCoy provided an overview of AI, how it affects higher education, why it should be embraced and what should be avoided when using AI. 

Sarah Trembanis, chair of the student and faculty honors committee, recognized the 2023 recipients of the Excellence in Mid-Career Faculty Scholarship Award (Ben Bagozzi and Megan Wenner) and Excellence in Scholarly Community Engagement Award (Amanda Jansen and Steve Metraux). 

Faculty Senate President Jim Morrison reminded the Senate that its Budget and Executive committees are in correspondence with the administration. He encouraged them to provide any feedback that they wish to be shared. Questions or concerns can be emailed to Karen Holden (krholden@udel.edu). 

Further information about the Faculty Senate, including meeting minutes and agendas, can be found on .