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Fort Lewis College Official Seal

Policy identification number: To come...

File: Academic Policies > Degree Progression

Pace Requirement for Introductory Composition and Mathematics

Policy Summary

This policy ensures that all bachelor's degree candidates complete introductory level composition and mathematics courses in a timely manner.

Policy Owner

Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs

Approval Date

May 9, 2019

Effective Date

Spring 2019

Search Terms

pvpaa, pace, p, composition, mathematics

Scheduled for Review

Spring 2024

Policy Statement

  1. All bachelor's degree candidates must successfully meet the Liberal Arts Core introductory level composition (CO1) and introductory level mathematics requirements (MA1) before earning 45 credits at Fort Lewis College in courses numbered 100 or higher. 
    1. For the purposes of the present policy, a student whose placement is above CO1 is considered to have successfully met the CO1 requirement. 
    2. A bachelor's degree candidate who transfers into Fort Lewis College and has the Liberal Arts Core requirement waived will be considered to have met the CO1 and MA1 requirements for this policy. 

Reasons for Policy 

  1. Fort Lewis College strives to:
    1. Offer rigorous courses. Rigor is associated, among other things, with student success and retention. However, rigor presupposes that all students in advanced courses be proficient in basic academic skills.
    2. Retain and graduate its students in a timely manner. Successful early completion of introductory courses in composition and mathematics has been shown to improve both retention and graduation rates (e.g. data collected by Complete College America shows a positive correlation between both retention and graduation rates with the completion of English and mathematics courses in the first year).

Responsibilities 

For following policy: Bachelor's degree candidates

For enforcement of policy: Registrar

For oversight of policy: Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs

For procedures implementing the policy: Registrar

For notification of the policy to campus: Policy Librarian

For notification of the policy and issuance of reminders and warnings to students:  Registrar

Consequences of Not Following Policy

Failure to successfully meet the policy requirement will result in a schedule lock and students will be enrolled in the appropriate CO1 and MA1 course for the subsequent term(s) until the policy requirement has been met. 

Definitions 

Bachelor's Degree Candidates: Undergraduate students pursuing their first bachelor's degree and post-baccalaureate students pursuing a second or subsequent, non-duplicative, bachelor's degree who are attending less than half time, half time, three quarters time, or full time.

Revision History

This policy was originally approved by the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs on April 2, 2014 upon recommendation of the Faculty Senate on April 2, 2014.  The revision to exempt students with bachelor's degrees who receive a waiver of the Liberal Arts Core (1.B.) was approved by the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs on October 4, 2017.  The revision approved by the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs on November 9, 2017 was upon recommendation of the Faculty Senate on April 6, 2017.  The following changes were made:  Students with CO2 placements are considered to have met the CO1 requirement of the policy (1.A.);  responsibility was assigned to Registrar to notify students of policy and issue reminders/warnings; an appeal process was specified, and a procedural appendix was added.