| EMPIRE STATE COLLEGE POLICIES AND PROCEDURES |
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Empire State College is committed to the principles that:
- effective learning derives from purposes and needs important to the individual
- learning occurs in varied ways and places
- styles of learning may differ significantly from person to person and from one setting to another
Most students at Empire State College pursue their education through a series of learning contracts, so-called because students and mentors together establish their content and approach. Empire State College also offers classes and structured courses through a variety of programs such as the Harry Van Arsdale Jr. Center for Labor Studies, the Center for Distance Learning and Graduate Studies. For these programs, the College may develop program-specific policies and procedures.
The college actively fosters the participation of the student in planning and designing his/her education through the use of individualized degree programs and learning contracts. Students are encouraged to design studies that help them clarify their goals and acquire the competence, knowledge and awareness necessary to pursue those purposes actively and independently.
Through learning contracts, students undertake studies tailored to their individual educational needs. Students and mentors design contracts that take into account the student's background and skills and encompass diverse fields and methods of study. Learning contracts allow great flexibility in the design and use of learning resources, and in the time and place of student learning.
The college has established certain parameters for degree program design and contract study to ensure degree coherence and academic integrity. For example, the Policy on Cross Registration at Other Institutions specifies that a student may cross register at other institutions for no more than 50% of his or her total Empire State College learning contract credits. Other parameters are published in Resources and Criteria for Assessment and Program Review. For example, advanced standing credit ma y be included in the degree for the completion of proficiency examinations and non-sponsored learning activities. Such an exam is appropriately incorporated into an Empire State College learning contract as a method of evaluation only if it is coupled with substantive learning activities supervised by Empire State College. Similarly, a non-sponsored learning activity is appropriately included into an Empire State College learning contract only if it is coupled with a substantive means of evaluating the academic learning involved.
Each Empire State College contract or course specifies the amount of credit that may be earned. Learning activities and academic standards for student work are established in the learning contract. Credit is not given for work that fails to meet those criteria. Students are expected to complete each contract or course within the enrollment term defined for the learning contract/course.
LEARNING CONTRACT PROPOSAL Mentors and students, together, draw up a specific study plan or learning contract proposal (LCP) for each term of enrollment. Together they define topics to be studied and select the learning modes (i.e. guided independent study, group study, cross registration at other institutions, distance learning courses, field-based practica, etc.). The mentor makes judgments about the appropriate level and amount of credit in relation to the content of the studies, using his or her academic and professional expertise.
As the mentor and student develop the learning contract proposal they should ensure that the selection of studies/courses is consistent with College policies and with the student's approved degree program, when available, in terms of content, liberal arts/professional-technical focus, level of study and role in meeting SUNY general education requirements. They should also ensure that studies are structured to avoid redundancy in the overall degree program.
The mentor is responsible for preparing and submitting the LCP. The student and mentor should set a start date that allows both of them time to make advance preparations for the study, to ensure that the actual learning activities can begin on time. Ideally, the LCP is prepared two weeks before the beginning of the enrollment term. The mentor should give the student information on how to contact tutors and access other learning resources when the LCP is prepared. The student is expected to take responsibility for making contact with tutors who have been engaged to work with her/him and for obtaining assigned texts and other learning resources.
LEARNING CONTRACTThe learning contract (LC) for each study should be prepared as early as possible so that the student has a study guide and a clear record of the academic expectations. The learning contract should be prepared no more than four weeks after the start date of the enrollment term.
The mentor is responsible for preparing and submitting the learning contract. The learning contract is reviewed and approved according to center/program procedures for academic soundness and conformity to college policies, and then transmitted to the records office.
Since fostering independent learning skills is a prime educational objective of the college, students are expected to participate in the design of learning contracts. Students should take increasing responsibility for study design as they advance through their programs.
ELEMENTS OF THE LEARNING CONTRACTElements of the learning contract are the dates of the study, definition of the study and the purpose, learning activities, and methods and criteria for evaluation.
- Dates of the study – the begin and end dates of the enrollment term
- Definition of the study – title, amount of credit, level of credit, liberal arts/non-liberal arts designation, role in meeting SUNY general education requirements, mentor/tutor
- Purpose – description of the scope and objectives of the study (this may be incorporated into the “learning activities” section of the contract, and may clarify how the study addresses one or more elements of the SUNY general education requirements)
- Learning Activities – description of the activities and modes of learning that makes expectations clear to the student
For independent studies, study groups, residency-based studies, and fieldwork (internship, practicum, etc.) the description normally includes an outline of specific learning activities such as readings, writing assignments, paintings, research, laboratory study, etc. and a bibliography of basic texts or required readings.
For study taken through cross registration at another institution, the learning contract must document the name of the other institution, the course number, and the minimum acceptable grade for the credit award by Empire State College (at the undergraduate level: C or better; at the graduate level: B or better). See the Empire State College Policy on Cross Registration at Other Institutions for additional information.
- Methods and Criteria for Evaluation – an explicit statement of the methods and criteria for evaluation to be employed by the mentor, that informs the student about how he or she will be evaluated
Methods of evaluation may include such things as:
- assessment by the mentor or tutor of written materials produced by the student such as journals, essays, research papers
- assessment of student learning through mentor/student conferences
- student self assessment
- assessment of the results of tests, performances, processes or projects that provide measurable outcomes of learning activity
The criteria for evaluation are the standards by which the student's performance will be judged. Criteria should be consistent with the level of the study. The criteria should establish the minimum standard for the award of credit. The student must satisfy the requirements and evaluative criteria in order to receive credit for the contract. Criteria may include such things as:
- the achievement of specific performance goals
- comprehension of a particular body of knowledge or specific processes
- demonstration of the ability to evaluate ideas critically and present them in coherent written form
- minimum test scores
- minimum course grades
The learning contract may include the notation that the student has requested assignment of a letter grade equivalent.
LEARNING CONTRACT AMENDMENTLearning contract amendments (LCA’s) provide a means for students to incorporate new learning opportunities into a term of enrollment or to modify or replace a study that is discovered to be inappropriate or unavailable. A learning contract amendment is used to add, change or delete such elements of the contract as:
- topic
- level of study
- liberal arts or non-liberal arts designation
- mentor/instructor/tutor
- mode of delivery
- amount of credit for the study
- other major changes in content
The mentor is responsible for preparing and submitting the learning contract amendment after consultation with the student. The amendment is reviewed and approved according to center/program procedures for academic soundness and conformity to college policies, and then transmitted to the records office.
Learning contracts should be amended no later than the mid-point of the enrollment term. By this time, a mentor should have enough information about the student’s work in the study to know whether any significant changes need to be made in the study itself. The college does recognize that an enrollment term may encompass components that have somewhat different calendars.
If, later in a study, a student has not produced work acceptable for the level of the study, the mentor should not submit an amendment to reduce the level of the study. For example, a student registered for "Policy Analysis" who is unable to complete advanced level work should receive a No Credit outcome, rather than receiving credit for a study redefined as introductory level. A student registered for "College Writing" who is unable to complete introductory level work should receive a No Credit outcome, rather than receiving credit at the pre-college level.
Minor changes in title, purposes, learning activities, or methods and criteria for evaluation do not require a learning contract amendment. Such changes should be incorporated into the contract evaluation.
AWARD OF CREDIT: THE CONTRACT EVALUATIONThe narrative contract evaluation (CE) awards credit for a study/course satisfactorily completed. The evaluation is written and credit is awarded only if:
- the academic expectations of the learning contract have been met and
- all evaluative information (e.g.,tutor evaluation, official transcript for cross-registered courses) has been received and approved
The contract evaluation for each study should be prepared as soon as possible after the student has completed the study, so that the student has access to timely feedback and an official transcript for the study. The contract evaluation must be submitted within four weeks of study completion.
The mentor is responsible for preparing and submitting the contract evaluation. The contract evaluation is reviewed and approved according to center/program procedures for academic soundness and conformity to college policies, and then transmitted to the records office.
The narrative contract evaluation provides a brief description of the study and an evaluation of the learning achieved. The evaluation assesses the student's learning in the context established in the learning contract. It conveys to both the student and external audiences the scope and quality of the student's learning. The contract evaluation:
- identifies the learning as introductory or advanced (or as pre- college), and as liberal or non-liberal
- indicates, if applicable, what general education requirement(s) the study satisfies and to what extent it is satisfied
- outlines the topics included in the study
- summarizes the learning activities
- summarizes the methods and criteria for evaluation
- discusses the student's performance/accomplishments and includes constructive criticism and developmental recommendations, as appropriate
- includes a letter grade equivalent, if requested by the student
The contract evaluation is the student's official transcript for the study and is, therefore, the formal record of his/her achievement. The evaluation should be concise, specific and professional in tone and presentation. Observations about the student's character or personality, recommendations about matters other than the work in the study, and discussions of subjects not relevant to the evaluation of the student's work are inappropriate and should not be included.
LEARNING CONTRACT OUTCOMESIf the mentor has not already submitted a narrative evaluation for a learning contract study, s/he must submit a learning contract outcome (LCO) within four weeks of the end date of the study. The learning contract outcome establishes a college record of the status of the student's work.
The mentor is responsible for submitting a learning contract outcome (LCO) for each study. The learning contract outcome is reviewed and approved according to center/program procedures for academic soundness and conformity to college policies, and then transmitted to the records office.
Other than awarding full credit through a contract evaluation, the mentor may award one of four possible outcomes for a learning contract study: “evaluation pending,” “incomplete,” “drop” or “no credit.” The final possible outcome is a “withdrawal.” This is the only outcome initiated by the student, as discussed below.
Evaluation PendingAn evaluation pending (EP) outcome is an award of credit. An EP is awarded only when immediate preparation of the contract evaluation is not possible. The mentor submits an EP outcome only after verifying that the work for a study or course has been satisfactorily completed and that a contract evaluation will follow shortly. The use of the EP outcome does not substitute for timely preparation of contract evaluations. The mentor must submit the contract evaluation within four weeks of submitting an EP outcome.
The EP outcome is not allowed for cross registrations at other institutions. The award of credit for a cross registration at another institution requires an official transcript. When an official transcript is received, the mentor submits a contract evaluation rather than an EP outcome.
IncompleteWhen extenuating circumstances arise, a student may request an outcome of incomplete (IN) from the mentor. The mentor normally submits an IN outcome only when the student has consistently engaged in learning activities and has successfully completed at least 50% of the work before the end of the enrollment term for the study/course. The mentor is not obligated to grant an incomplete.
A student who is awarded an IN outcome is allowed no more than 16 weeks after the study end date to complete the study. The mentor may establish an earlier completion date. The learning contract outcome statement submitted by the mentor should specify the remaining work to be completed and the expected completion date.
If the mentor submits no further outcome, an IN outcome automatically becomes a No Credit outcome after 16 weeks, or earlier if the mentor has specified an earlier completion date.
DropIf a student registers for a study, does not withdraw and does not engage in significant learning activities throughout the term of enrollment, the mentor submits an outcome of drop (DR). The learning contract outcome statement must include the last date of substantive contact with the student (i.e. the last date of “attendance”). Although the mentor submits a drop outcome, a withdrawal requires action by the student (see below).
No CreditIf a student engages in a study or course throughout the term of enrollment and fails to satisfactorily complete it, the mentor submits a no credit (NC) outcome. The learning contract outcome statement should indicate the reasons for granting no credit. The outcome statement may provide constructive criticism and suggestions for improving the student's performance for work considered not of passing quality.
WithdrawalA withdrawal (WD) is the only outcome initiated by the student. If the student takes action to withdraw from a study, the College enters a withdrawal (WD) outcome. See the Empire State College Policy on Academic Withdrawal.
Outcomes of IN, DR, NC and WD have specific implications for financial aid eligibility. For an explanation, see the Empire State College statements on Eligibility for New York State Financial Aid and Eligibility for Federal Financial Aid.
APPEALS
An explanation of the appeals process is in the Student Academic Appeals Policy.
Approved: September, 1972
Revised: October, 1980; April, 1990; February, 1996; February, 2002
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