Compliance Narratives

Judgment of Compliance

Narrative

The Sam Houston State University (SHSU) 2018-2019 Undergraduate Catalog states “the following hours must be completed ‘in residence’ to meet degree requirements: At least 25% of the credit hours required by the degree (e.g., 30 semester credit hours for a 120 credit hour program) of which 24 semester credit hours must be advanced (3000 or 4000-level)” [1]. SHSU defines “in residence” as courses taken on the campus of SHSU, at SHSU’s The Woodlands Center, at SHSU off-campus sites, or through SHSU’s online course offerings [1].

At the undergraduate level, minimum residence hour rules are monitored by academic advisors, either at the Student Advising and Mentoring Center (SAM Center) or within the student’s degree program, and by the graduation staff in the Office of the Registrar at the time the student applies for graduation. Students are notified via email when they qualify to apply for graduation. This notification occurs at the point the student reaches 90 completed semester credit hours. At the point of 90 completed semester credit hours, an undergraduate student is required to be advised prior to being permitted to register for subsequent semesters [2].

Both students and SHSU staff use the DegreeWorks software to monitor and audit degree plans and graduation requirements. Within the DegreeWorks software, a summary of the student’s academic progress is provided and includes, among other indicators, the number of hours the student has completed at SHSU, in transfer, and in total. Additionally, for each degree the system calculates the specific number of hours required to be taken in residence to meet the 25% threshold and provides a targeted, degree- and student-specific message as to the lacking residency hours [3]. For students, advisors, and Registrar staff, this tool is used to monitor the 25% residence requirement.

In addition, undergraduate transcripts and degree plans undergo a thorough degree requirements audit by advisors in the SAM Center once students have earned 90 semester credit hours toward their degrees. If the audit reveals deficiencies, advisors assist the students in correcting the deficiencies. Likewise, if the Registrar, in conducting the final graduation degree audit, determines that the student has not earned the required hours in residence, the student is notified and prevented from graduating until the deficiency is resolved. Any student not meeting the 25% requirement would be included on the degree audit report [4]. Once it is determined that all degree requirements have been met, the student is certified by the Academic Deans and degrees are conferred. An audit file for undergraduate degrees conferred in the fall 2017 term, including semester credit hours earned at SHSU and in overall (SHSU and transfer), has been provided [5].

Although the DegreeWorks degree audit system provides the most efficient way for both students and SHSU staff to monitor a student’s progress and compliance with the 25% residency rule, students and advisors can monitor the individual courses and hours earned at SHSU and in transfer on the unofficial [6] or official [7] academic transcript. SHSU differentiates between courses earned in transfer, including courses transferred to SHSU through cooperative academic arrangements, and courses earned at SHSU by clear labeling on the academic transcript. Courses earned in transfer appear below a transcript heading of “Transfer Credit Accepted by the Institution,” and courses earned at SHSU appear below a heading of “Institution Credit.” Further, the academic transcript provides a semester credit hour summary for hours earned at the institution, in transfer, and overall.

Supporting Documentation