February 16, 2012 UAAC Meeting Minutes

Mark Taylor presented on (and distributed information about) the Utah Community Research Group (UTAHCRG). Highlights:

• UTAHCRG is a student research firm that operates within the Department of Economics

• While most students come from Economics, students from any major are welcomed

• Provides zero-price analysis to members of the community (analyzing data from local companies)

• An excellent introduction to “real-world” research (for students)

• Participants must enroll in a 5000-level course (which includes Service Learning hours)

• Several students have been hired by their clients, and/or given presentations at academic research conferences

• Contact UTAHCRG@Gmail.com for more information

 Admissions – Maren Lythgoe

• Freshman applications are currently taking 3-4 weeks to process.

• The nontraditional student policy has been updated:  students must have graduated from high school seven or more years ago, and must have not attended any regionally-accredited college or university.  Core course requirements will be looked at, and there must be a minimum 2.6 GPA.  If the student does not meet these requirements, they can submit ACT scores, verification of military experience, etc. (anything that could indicate potential for academic success).

 Registrar’s Office – Dallin Cowles, Emily Johnson

• Spring census shows 31,088 students (up 2.5% from last year).

• Important dates:

• February 24:  last day to reverse Credit/No-Credit option for first-half courses

• February 28:  first half ends

• February 29:  second half begins

• March 2:  last day to withdraw from semester-length courses

• March 9:   last day to drop/delete from second-half courses

  • The Honors list will no longer be sent to colleges or departments (Spring 2011 was the last time).
  • Any departments with a required major emphasis should ensure that their students are listed with it.
  • Statements of completion are written by the Registrar’s Office (departments shouldn’t be doing these).
  • Spring 2012 graduation applicants:  as of March 5 they’ll be required to submit a petition.

 Financial Aid – no report 

Curriculum Administration – Lyndi Duff, Ed Barbanell

• Archived University catalogues can now be accessed through www.catalog.utah.edu andwww.curriculum.utah.edu.

• The Summer 2012 catalogue has been posted; Fall 2012 will be posted on March 2.  There will be a change in how course descriptions are viewed / displayed (i.e., not the HTML files); this may be demonstrated at a future UAAC meeting.

• Students who are subject to the “three-peat” course repeat fee have up until now not been charged until after the withdrawal deadline date; but this has resulted in some financial aid-related problems.  The issue is currently being examined.

• The Utah State Board of Regents has a policy governing excess credit hours (hours in excess of 135% of those required for completion of a student’s program of study shall be charged at the full cost of instruction, except in certain specified circumstances).  As of now, no monies have actually been collected as a result of those billings. The figure used may be changed to 125%.

 DARS/GPS – Richelle Warr

• The adding of catalog updates for 2012-13 is nearly complete.  Once complete, departments may go in and updated roadmaps for next year (they are due by March 23).

• GPS usage continues to increase:  there are now 4,515 students who have created over 5,000 plans, and 302 roadmaps have been published.  Most, but not all, departments have submitted roadmaps.

 Advisor Education and Development – no report

Orientation – Trisha Jensen

• Registration is now open for students who start in Summer 2012, and they can sign up (online) for orientation now as well.

Transfer Student Issues – no report 

Housing and Residential Education – Andrew Kahrs for Scott Jensen

• The housing application is now live on CIS; there has been an increase of over 500 applications compared to last year.  Reservations start next month.

Mandatory Advising Program – Martina Stewart

• Second-year advising students will receive an e-mail tomorrow (must meet with an advisor by March 1 in order to avoid a registration hold).   Fewer of these students have been seen this year (so far) compared with last year; but the process started a month later this year.  Advisors should expect to see more of these students in the coming weeks.

• Freshmen who started this semester will receive an e-mail on March 5.

• Jennifer Wozab (introduced) is the new mandatory advising assistant in Academic Advising Center.

Major Expo – Steve Hadley

• Work on the invitation list for the next Expo will start soon.

• Latu Kinikini (introduced) is the new major exploration assistant in Academic Advising Center.

• Proposals for this year’s UAOA conference are due tomorrow.

New and Continuing Business 

Career Services:  Pat Reilly spoke and distributed information about AppleCare’s recruiting on campus over the past year (the University is one of nine at which this is done).  Training is provided; the positions are full-time in summer and 16-22 hours per week during the academic year.  It isn’t necessary to possess a technical background or to own Apple products.  Students must have a 2.7 GPA and need only be enrolled in one course, to be eligible.  The positions pay $10 per hour, with benefits for 20 or more hours per week; tuition reimbursement of relevant courses is another feature.  A one-year commitment is required and the position can be continued for up to three years. 

Last months’ Career and Job Fairs had an excellent turnout. 

MATH 1030 Amnesty Program:  Kelly MacArthur distributed information about this limited-time program, which will allow students to fulfill their Quantitative Analysis (QA) requirement by taking Math 1030 without meeting prerequisites.  The amnesty is available for only one enrollment in Summer or Fall 2012.  Students who do not have a valid prerequisite must request a permission code at www.math.utah.edu, starting March 19. 

Memorial Service:  Lori McDonald reported that there is a multifaith memorial service planned for March 1, in the Post Chapel, to honor 14 University students who died during 2011.  All are invited; further information to come via e-mail. 

Advising Tip of the Month:  Jason Barkemeyer said that it’s hoped that the recipient of the first Outstanding Advisor award will be announced in May.  The nominating process will be opened soon and information will go out on the UAAC listserv.  Advisors are encouraged to nominate deserving individuals.  The award will include a small stipend.

  

NEXT UAAC MEETING IS SCHEDULED FOR

THURSDAY, MARCH 15, 2012, 2:00PM, SILL CENTER

 

 

Present:  Janet Muncey, Maren Lythgoe (Admissions); Sandra McCarthy (Anthropology; Health, Society, and Policy); Nevon Bruschke (Art and Art History); Jessica Taylor (Atmospheric Sciences); Jess Taverna, Jason Barkemeyer, Anna Adams, Kari Dockendorff, Christine Daoust (Business); Pat Reilly (Career Services); Merilee Anderson, Janet Goff, Candace Krukiel, Erik Hjorten (Continuing Education); Lori McDonald (Dean of Students’ Office); Rachel Bonnett (Exercise and Sport Science); Jenny Stout (Family and Consumer Studies); Liz Leckie (Fine Arts); Judy Martinez (Geology and Geophysics); Andrew Kahrs (Housing and Residential Education); Alison Vasquez (International Studies); Kelly MacArthur (Mathematics); Bonnie Ogden, Mark Mun (Mechanical Engineering); Mary Ann Dresher (Music); Trisha Jensen (Orientation); Lynn Higgs (Physics and Astronomy); Samantha Brodey (Political Science); Emily Johnson, Dallin Cowles (Registrar’s Office); Sharon Beck (Student Recruitment); Maria Baldwin (Student Support Services); Jill Hinckley, Becky Owen (Teacher Education); Carolyn Bliss, Ed Barbanell, Lyndi Duff (Undergraduate Studies); David Eisen, Richelle Warr, Shelley Nicholson, Steve Hadley, Marilyn Hoffman, Latu Kinikini, Jennifer Wozab, Martina Stewart (Academic Advising Center).  Total:  46