Associated Students of the University of Washington
Student Senate
Session 15
 

A Resolution in Support of Changing the UW's baccalaureate honours policy

WHEREAS at present, baccalaureate honours are evaluated at within each college within UW (http://www.washington.edu/students/reg/HonorsReqS.html), where 'summa cum laude' equals the top 0.5%, 'magna cum laude' equals the next 3.5%, and 'cum laude' equals the next 6%, and

WHEREAS this current system is just fine for colleges that have only one or two majors (such as Informatics, Ocean & Fisheries, Social Work, etc), and,

WHEREAS there is often a difference in courseloads between majors in the same college, or for that matter between options in the same degree, especially in the College of Arts & Sciences where physical and life sciences students compete against arts and humanities students (who have vastly different courseloads),and,

WHEREAS it is far more fair to compare apples to apples, pears to pears, and oranges to oranges, then apples to oranges, apples to pears, etc.

BE IT RESOLVED BY THE ASSOCIATED STUDENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON:

THAT we support the UW basing its baccalaureate honours scheme being based on degree programme, so that all students are competing against others in their same programmes and not vastly disparite ones.

History of Legislation

12/17/2008: Submitted for consideration

Legislation ID:
R-15-7

Date Submitted:
12/17/2008

Sponsor:
Andrew P. D. G. Everett - ASUW Volunteer of the Year: 2007-2008

Cosponsor(s):
Jason T. Padvorac