Guidelines for Processing Substitution/Waiver Requests

College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources
May 18, 2001

Philosophy

The College policy and procedures are based on the faculty governance described in the Board of Regents ByLaws 2.9:

The Colleges. Subject to the powers vested in the Board, and subject to the provisions of 85-108 and 85-112 Revised Statutes of Nebraska, and other applicable law, the immediate government of each college shall be by its own faculty. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing statement, such power shall include adoption of attendance rules, determination of requirements for graduation, recommendations of candidates therefore, developing research and extension programs, discipline of students for conduct solely affecting the college, and providing to the Board recommended admission requirements, courses of study and other relevant material for meeting statutory requirements. Those persons with rank of assistant professor and above, or equivalent ranks, shall constitute the voting members of a college faculty, unless other persons are specifically included in a particular college by action of these voting members. Any system of college government shall provide for consultation with students. No curriculum leading to a degree or certificate shall be adopted or discontinued without the approval of the Board. The faculty for each college shall adopt rules and regulations relating to its government that shall be subject to approval by the Board. Public hearing shall be held by the Board with reference to such rules and regulations and when approved or modified by the Board after such hearing, shall be effective as a part of the Rules of the Board.

History: Amended, 47 BRUN 146 (24 July 1982)

The academic rigor and quality of each major’s unique core is the responsibility of those faculty administering the major. The academic rigor and quality of the college core requirement is the responsibility of the entire college faculty who grant the degree. This college-wide responsibility is delegated to the CASNR Curriculum Committee. The value of the student’s educational experience is dependent on a strong advisor/advisee relationship which provides academic guidance and professional mentoring.

The published degree programs in the Undergraduate Bulletin constitute a contract between the student and the faculty. However, the faculty realize that each student has a unique educational and experiential background, as well as individualized career goals. Our goal is to individualize their degree program to maximize their opportunities for success. This requires the flexibility afforded by a substitution waiver process and students and faculty are encouraged to utilize it. Our faculty have valued fulfilling the intent, if not the letter of a required curriculum.

All substitution/waiver requests initiated by a student must be forwarded to the CASNR Curriculum Committee even if it is not endorsed by advisor or unit administrator.

The College will not place a student at risk for a documented advising error, nor will it jeopardize the advisor/advisee relationship, which is critical to the student’s success, by denying corrective substitution/waivers.

Timeline

The University Undergraduate Bulletin specifies that requests for substitutions and waivers involving courses within the College Core Requirements must be filed before the start of the semester in which the student wishes to graduate. This allows the CASNR Curriculum Committee to act on the request during the first week of classes and the student to amend their registration if a substitution/waiver request is denied. Agenda items for the CASNR Curriculum Committee should be submitted two weeks prior to the scheduled meeting. The Degree Audit Reporting System (DARS) allows advisors to be current on requirements and necessary substitution/waivers and should be part of every advising session. There are some suppressed substitutions encoded into DARS which will not require a substitution/waiver form.

Required Signatures

A Substitution/Waiver request must be signed by the student, the advisor and the Unit Administrator or a designated faculty member representing the faculty. The faculty coordinator for the interdisciplinary majors including Crop Protection, Diversified Agricultural Studies, Environmental Studies, Grazing Livestock Systems and Water Science sign as the Unit Administrator.

Attachments

Attachments are appropriate and encouraged to further explain the rationale of the substitution/waiver request.

Recommendations

If the advisor or unit administrator forwards a substitution/waiver request without recommendation a statement of rationale must accompany the request as an attachment of the submission.

Substitutions or Waivers of Major Requirements

The departmental curriculum committee is the proper authority for approving or rejecting substitutions to or waivers of major requirements. The CASNR Curriculum Committee or designee will support faculty/unit decisions on major requirements when both advisor and unit administrator agree. When there is not agreement between the advisor and unit administrator, it will be forwarded to the CASNR Curriculum Committee for resolution and action.

Substitutions or Waivers of College Core Requirements

The CASNR Curriculum Committee is the proper authority for approving or rejecting substitutions to or waivers of core degree requirements. Committee authority may be delegated to the Dean (ByLaws, College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, September 12, 1998, page 9). The CASNR Curriculum Committee delegates authority for granting routine waivers, and for processing waivers which must be acted on immediately to the CASNR Dean, or designee, the Associate or Assistant Dean. The CASNR Dean or designee will act on behalf of the Curriculum Committee under the following conditions:

• routine requests that alter the college core curriculum and/or those with previous precedence;
• requests to declare a bulletin, reconcile changes in course number with the student’s bulletin, or modify the residency requirement;
• all major specific requests that have the approval of the advisor and unit administrator;
  requests based on documented advising error; and
• major specific requests that do not have the recommendation of the advisor and/or unit administrator are investigated and may or may not be acted upon

The CASNR Curriculum Committee may review the substitution/waiver requests acted upon by the Dean at their request.

All substitution/waiver requests for the college core curriculum that do not meet the criteria for delegated authority are forwarded to the CASNR Curriculum Committee. The following characterize those requests forwarded to the CASNR Curriculum Committee:

• those with extreme and extenuating circumstances;
• those that will be precedent setting if approved; and
• those that have become common enough to warrant faculty consideration of the validity of the core requirement.

Decision Criteria for Substitution/Waivers of the College Core Curriculum While fair, equitable, and consistent treatment of all students is an important consideration, every substitution/waiver request is evaluated as an individual case. The minimum acceptable standards for graduation are published in the University Bulletin, but exceptions can be considered, depending on the student’s particular circumstances. Among the circumstances examined and considered are:

• the student’s degree program and the extent to which the requirement contributes to his or her degree;
• contributing advising error;
• competency implied by completion of related classes, or classes for which the required work is a prerequisite;
• evidence that the student has made a good faith attempt to meet requirement:
• the ability to successfully carry excessive hours in fulfilling the requirements;
• earned credit hours applied towards degree;
• the interdependency of multiple substitution/waivers [the CASNR Curriculum Committee recommends that students and faculty submit multiple substitution waivers at one time rather than over time.]
• the curricular flexibility in meeting the intent of the requirement (e.g. use of a 400-level IS course to meet a 300-level IS requirement);
• the accumulated effect of multiple substitutions/waivers on the integrity of the degree program;
  extenuating, documented personal circumstances;
• potential precedence and past actions; and
• the flexibility and scheduling of courses to fulfill the requirement. This may be of particular importance with transfer students.

Documenting Denials

Each denial either by the CASNR Curriculum Committee or the Dean or designee must be explained on the form, as well as any conditions or expiration date of an approval.

Student’s Appeal Process

Students that want a request reconsidered have the opportunity to present their case:

Substitutions or Waivers of Major Requirements

If the request was related to a major requirement, the student can meet with the departmental curriculum committee which has final authority.

Substitutions or Waivers of College Core Requirements

If the request was related to a College core requirement, the student can make a formal presentation to the CASNR Curriculum Committee. They are encouraged to have their advisor present. The CASNR Curriculum Committee has the final authority and there is no appeal for a second reconsideration.