Standard 3.C.1 - Academic Credit and Records

As prescribed in the faculty Collective Bargaining Agreement and the COT VTEM Agreement, evaluation of student learning or achievement is described in each course syllabus, along with course outline, objectives, method of instruction, requirements, and faculty office and telephone number. The syllabus must be distributed (or be accessible in an electronic format ) to students by the end of the second week of the semester. Copies of course syllabi are placed on file in the appropriate department offices, and they are available for online courses during the semester students take the class. Academic records are updated each semester when faculty enter student grades in the Banner web system; accuracy and security are maintained electronically. The Registrar’s office certifies and updates the grades when they “roll” from Banner.

The 2007-09 General Bulletin is the most comprehensive of all student publications, while the Graduate Catalog and COT General Catalog are somewhat supplemental, oriented toward specific audiences. Each contains definitions of credit, grading, audit procedures, and the appeal policy process, all of which comply with NWCCU guidelines. The criteria for awarding credit also are consistent with BOR policy; see http://mus.edu/borpol/bor300/3091.htm, which dictates that one semester credit is equal to 12.5 hours, or 750 minutes, of seat time.

Students who wish to challenge a grade they have received may follow the protocol outlined in the Student Code of Conduct/Student Handbook. This involves appeal to the instructor, department chair, dean, and Campus Hearing Committee through the Student Resolution Officer. Those who claim an exception to an academic regulation may appeal to the Academic Standards and Scholastic Standing Committee. Committee voting members include one faculty and one student from each College plus three faculty elected at-large; each faculty member serves a two-year term, while students serve for one year. The Committee meets monthly to discuss student petitions and adjudicates about two dozen petitions/year.

Evidence:

2.11 General Bulletin/COT Catalog;
2.5 Graduate Catalog

Standard 3.C.2 - Academic Credit and Records Criteria

Faculty in appropriate departments use clearly stated criteria for evaluating student performance and achievement, including those for theses and portfolios, appropriate to the degree level. The 2006-2008 Graduate Catalog has a clearly stated policy for thesis development; the desired outcome is a student-produced paper worthy of publication in a professional journal.

Evidence:

2.4 Academic Foundations;
2.11 General Bulletin/COT Catalog;
2.5 Graduate Catalog

Standard 3.C.3 - Academic Record Transcription

Because the University does not grant any non-degree credit, distinctions are clearly made between degree and non-degree credit. The asterisk symbol (*) on a transcript denotes that credit is not earned for a course. Institutional publications and oral representations explicitly indicate if credit will not be applied toward a degree or if special conditions exist before such credit will be recognized. MSU Billings designates only for-credit and not-for-credit courses; no CEU credits are conferred. The Graduate Catalog defines the procedure for extension credit review and transfer.

Evidence:

2.11 General Bulletin/COT Catalog;
2.5 Graduate Catalog

Standard 3.C.4 - Transfer Credit Policies

Transfer credit policy is stated in the General Bulletin and is in accordance with BOR policy. A transfer applicant is one who has attempted 12 or more GPA credits at an accredited college or University. Credits from an unaccredited institution may be petitioned for acceptance once the student has completed 20 semester hours of work at MSU Billings with a cumulative grade point average of 2.0 or better and upon Registrar’s receipt of an official transcript. The student’s academic advisor reviews the transcript, determining which courses meet degree requirements and identifying any course deficiencies. All incoming transfer students are referred to the Academic Advising Center on either the East or West Campus.

MSUB students Within the Montana University System (MUS), credit transfer difficulties are under continual review. In 2007, the Office of the Commissioner for Higher Education initiated a process to review common course numbering and transfer ideas and a specialist is working with system units to develop plans for transferability solutions. A legislative audit was conducted in 2004, and several policies emerged from the Board of Regents related to MUS management of transfer students and their records. MSU Billings implemented these policies even before BOR mandated that all AA/AS degrees transfer among all MUS units and that the MUS general education core must transfer across all institutions in the system. In addition to a formal general education transfer credit acceptance policy, the BOR also established policies related to outdated coursework, minimum course grades, single admission file, and a system of controls and assessment. Additional information is available at http://mus.edu/transfer/policies.asp. In September 2007, MSU Billings was audited by the Office of the Commissioner of Higher Education on its compliance with the implementation of the policies described above; the outcome was highly favorable, with only minor recommendations.

The 2004 action of the Academic Senate of MSU Billings stipulated that “MSU Billings will accept transfer students with completed AA or AS degrees from other regionally accredited institutions as having fulfilled their MSU Billings Academic Foundations requirements if the general education package is comparable in total credits and content.” Block transfer credit is accepted from units of the MUS, the three publicly supported community colleges, and the seven tribal colleges in Montana. If undergraduate transfer students have met the criteria above with at least a 2.0 GPA, they will be deemed to have met lower-division Gen Ed/Academic Foundations requirements at MSU Billings. The Graduate Catalog outlines the transfer policy in general and specific policies by College: www.msubillings.edu/catalogs/GradCat08-10.pdf.

MSU Billings maintains electronic transfer guides for 36 regional four-year, community and tribal colleges. These guides are available via the Internet to potential transfer students. Annually, MSU Billings updates equivalency agreements with regional community colleges in Wyoming, North Dakota, and Montana; Montana’s tribally controlled colleges; and Montana’s four-year (public and private) institutions. Articulation agreements for tech-prep courses are in place between regional high schools and both campuses of the University. Additionally, policies regarding the award of credit for Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate and CLEP are in place and available on the web or in the General Bulletin and from the Office of Admissions/Records/Registrar.

The University offers a “non-degree” status for students who wish to pursue studies for personal growth or for other non-degree goals. Non-degree students are not afforded the option of applying for financial aid. The University also offers the option of auditing courses. Students who wish to change from non-degree to degree status must notify the Office of Admissions/Records/Registrar for a change of status; the process is described in the General Bulletin. In addition, the West COT Campus is working closely with the four colleges located on the East Campus to develop and build new program articulation opportunities for students who graduate from the West Campus with AAS and AS degrees. In particular, the COT has been working closely with the College of Allied Health Professions and the College of Business to develop articulated program options. For example, the COT and CAHP have submitted joint grant proposals to increase articulation between the COT’s Radiologic Technology Program and the CAHP’s Health Administration Program.

Transfer credit acceptance is based upon the following:

ACE Accredited Institutions of Postsecondary Education Guidelines..
Policy for accepting credit from unaccredited institutions.
Articulation agreements.

Implementation of transfer credit policies is consistent with 2.C.4 as well as Policy 2.5 Transfer and Award of Academic Credit. As published in the General Bulletin, final judgment for determining acceptable credit for transfer is the responsibility of the receiving institution.

Evidence:

6.4 BOR Policies and Procedures Manual (http://mus.edu/borpol/
default.asp) (§ 301.5);
2.11 General Bulletin/COT Catalog;
2.5 Graduate Catalog;
2.12 Articulation Agreements

Standard 3.C.5 - Student Records

The Office of Admissions/Records/Registrar initiates, maintains and approves access to all student records. There are three types of student record storage systems on the MSU Billings campus. Current student data since 1999 are stored in the multi-campus Administrative Information System (AIS); student records from the older campus VAX system are stored in the campus data warehouse; and student data from the pre-computer era are stored in secure office files. Each system and disaster recovery system is described below. During McMullen Hall renovation, student records were moved to new secure locations.

Current electronic student records are maintained the MSU system’s fourinstitution AIS, SCT SunGuard Banner system, which resides in Bozeman. Permissions are granted to employees by the supervisor completing the Banner Access Form; this is approved by the employee supervisor, MSU Billings Registrar, and the MSU Student Module Team Leader. Once this documentation is complete, employees are granted access to the appropriate student tables for MSU Billings. They also receive training on Banner navigation and security concerns before accessing student information. The AIS resides at MSU in Bozeman and has a daily, weekly, and monthly backup cycle; tapes are stored on the Bozeman campus. There is a Disaster Preparedness Plan detailing backup for the live AIS database for all four campuses on the MSU Billings site which has been funded for FY 2009. See Exhibit for the MSU Multi-Campus Disaster Recovery Plan.

The Office of Admissions/Records/Registrar retains office files and email that relate to students’ official records. The electronic student files that were part of the legacy VAX system are stored in a MSU Billings campus data warehouse which runs on Microsoft SQL Server. Access and permission to the transcripts follow the same process as the campus portion of the AIS. All electronic files include the original copy, a mirrored duplicate, and a tape backup. The electronic files are in a secure machine room and are backed up to tape daily, weekly, and monthly. The tapes are stored both on-site in McMullen Hall and off-site at the West Campus.

All student information is managed in accordance with Family Educational Rights & Privacy Act (FERPA) regulations and University Policies. Older non-electronic transcripts (pre-1980) on the East Campus are secured in fireproof files and stored in the McMullen Hall basement. Similarly, the College of Technology stores records in locked, fireproof cabinets. A four-campus initiative for document imaging was established in September 2004 and has been on the multi-campus priority list but has not received the required funding from the four campuses.

The Office of Admissions/Records/Registrar compiles and maintains student academic records. The University follows the American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers policies on retention of records. Studentidentifiable records are shredded when the office files are purged. Release of information is conducted in accordance with FERPA regulations and University policy as published in the General Bulletin. Awarding of credit is based on the following guidelines: