EDUCATIONAL POLICY COMMITTEE
Minutes
February 21, 2008

Attending: S. Birrell, H. Dettmer (Chair), M. Gilbert, K. Hall (committee staff), R. Honey, R. Ketterer,
J. Kimberley (student member), Philip Kutzko, M. Niño-Murcia, D. Redlawsk, and A. Segre

Excused Absence: J. Menninger

Guests: Representatives from the Transcript Redesign Study Group. Julie Fell, Senior Associate Registrar, Graduation Analysis, Study Group Chair; David Salisbury, Senior Associate Registrar, Coordinator of Records, Study Group Member; Luke Flaherty, Director, CLAS Academic Standards and Services, Study Group Member.

1. The minutes from February 14 were approved as written.
2. Presentation and discussion of transcript redesign at Iowa was facilitated by representatives from the Transcript Redesign Study Group. J. Fell began the discussion by noting that the Transcript Redesign Study Group has been meeting for around nine months and eventually will propose to the Provost a new design for the transcript. The transcript is an external document and the redesign is intended to make its information clearer to those outside of the University. The new transcript will use the nationally recognized transcript standards and will include a tracking number to help detect fraudulent transcript copies. Course titles will be up to 40 characters in length, helping to clarify course content. For example, the complete title of special topics courses will be included on the new transcript. All programs of study will be listed near the top of the transcript and will include certificates and minors as well as all majors. Credit by exam will be listed next, followed by a block of transfer information, including enrollment dates, hours accepted as UI credit, and degrees earned.  The transcript will show only the UI GPA and not the transfer GPA since this transcript is a UI document and notes UI standards. The transcript will show, however, what hours have been accepted at UI. The transfer GPA will continue to be on the degree audit and thus available for advising purposes. The degrees conferred with the majors, minors, and any honors earned also will be noted in the first section of the transcript.

The body of the transcript will chronologically record by semester the graded hours attempted, the graded hours earned, each grade earned, the cumulative hours earned, the end of the semester GPA, the cumulative GPA, and any inclusion on the Dean’s or President’s list.  

EPC thought the new design was very useful and much easier to read. The lack of the transfer GPA on the transcript was discussed, with some members wondering if that policy was fair to UI students who have all grades listed while transfer students potentially have a fresh start. The Study Group stressed that the transfer GPA exclusion is a national standard; the transfer GPA is not a  true UI GPA or a measure of UI work and thus can not be included on the official UI transcript. Students generally must submit transcripts from all institutions attended for graduate school; the transfer GPA remains available from the transfer institution.

EPC suggested a number of minor clarifications, including a better abbreviation for the word “earned”; the order of programs of study vs. the completed programs; the placement of the Dean’s or President’s list notation; and the updating of the back of the transcript.