Senior Harrison Waddell will be given the opportunity to walk on his May 8, 2015 graduation date. After the Faculty Senate came to a vote, they passed the amendment, allowing Waddell to walk. The amendment grants students who are “one course and/or seven credits” away from completion of the required 120 credit hours, the ability to walk on their graduation dates. Then they must finish up courses after graduation time. The Faculty Senate moved to amend the current policy “who are in good academic standing shall be permitted to participate in the graduation ceremony,” noted by faculty senate member Dr. William P. Abrams, professor of Mathematics.
Longwood’s current policy states that students who have not finished completion, “do not walk,” said Abrams.
The senate moved to amend the policy to add seven credits or fever of one course shy upon graduation the ability to walk during commencement. It was noted that in some cases there are students who are eight credits shy, which brought along discussion of the 12 credit hour each semester in order to be considered a full time student. Faculty senate member, Dr. Jacqueline Hall, associate professor of Mathematics, made a point of clarification. “These are two different questions,” said Hall.
The Senate then motioned to allow December graduates the ability to walk in their scheduled May commencement, rather than the May after, due to the shortage of credits needed in order to graduate on time. Dr. David Lehr, chair of Faculty Senate called to question the amendment, which would be allowed to walk, “even though they haven’t completed requirements.”
Leighan Worden spoke on behalf of the student section, stating that many students who are running into the same problems upon graduation feel as though they are “missing memories.”
Dr. Tim Pierson, vice president of the Office of Student Affairs, believed 2000 was the last year Longwood was required to award all diplomas during commencement ceremonies.
Jennifer Green, associate vice president of Enrollment Management and Student Success estimated “ten to twenty students that this impacts each year.”
Faculty senate member Jeff Halliday, associate professor of Communication Studies, spoke on behalf of Harrison Waddell. He stated that Waddell is taking a total of 25 credits at the moment, in order to complete his requirements. However, he is still shy of three credits upon graduation due to course availability, in which set him back one course from graduation. Halliday spoke on cases such as Waddell’s in which students are left with a remaining course in order to graduate, “it’s not uncommon.”
Dr. Lehr mentioned that in many other Virginia state colleges and universities graduation policies, “generally there is some flexibility,” allowing students to walk shy of their required credit hours.
Waddell spoke to the Faculty Senate board on behalf of his situation that directly impacts him not being able to walk for his set May 2015 commencement date. Waddell is three credits shy of his graduation requirements due to one major requirement course.
It was noted that students would have to go to the department chair and Registrar to make the approval of one course or the seven credit hour flexibility.
Motion called to vote on the additional one course change, reinstating students will be offered the ability to walk during commencement “seven credits and or one course” shy upon graduation.
Constance Garner offered the student’s perspective, including that she spoke with Dr. Pierson on the subject while doing research from additional Virginia state institutions. While that have policies similar, allowing students to walk shy of required credit hours, “going off the information on the website, students are allowed to walk if they can finish requirements within the summer following,” said Garner.
Dr. Lehr then called to close, calling a vote in which the motion passed, adding the amendment, allowing students “one course and/or seven credits,” shy of requirements to walk commencement.
