Carleton University’s Senate discussed returning to campus and changed requirements for certain programs at a virtual meeting on Jan. 28.
Campus will still reopen on Feb. 7 despite the emergence of the Omicron BA.2 variant. Carleton vice president (students and enrolment) Suzanne Blanchard said this new version of the virus is not yet significant enough to change public health guidelines or government regulations.
Associate dean of undergraduate studies Howard Nemiroff presented a new system for compassionate grading for first-year students at the meeting. Instead of failed courses resulting in a failed (F) grade, students in their first two terms of enrolment will automatically have courses they do not pass removed from their transcript and designated a score of no record (NR). Students in their first term of enrolment who pass a course will receive a credit (CR) on their transcript, which will not count towards their grade point average.
Whether the conversion from a pass to a CR will be automatic or voluntary remains to be decided. The Senate maintained courses failed as a result of an academic offence will still result in an F.
While the change has not yet passed, Nemiroff said these measures are meant to be implemented this fall and will return to the Senate.
The Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) requirements for Carleton’s food science experiential learning program were lowered at the meeting as well. Previously, for food science students to participate in experiential learning they would need a major CGPA of 9.0 and an overall CGPA of 7.5. Now, food science students will need a major CGPA of 8.0 and an overall CGPA of 6.5 to be eligible for placements.
Major requirements for engineering students were also changed. In order for engineering students to take 3000-level engineering courses, they will now need to complete all their first-year requirements including ECOR 1055, ECOR 1056 and 1057 and at least 4.0 required credits at the 2000-level.
Previously, ECOR 1055, ECOR 1056 and ECOR 1057 were prerequisites for second-year courses. According to the motion, this change is meant to give students two years to complete those courses.
The Senate is scheduled to meet again on Feb. 25.
Featured graphic Sara Mizannojehdehi.
