Debra Reid believes the change establishes an unfair double standard.

Christie Roszkowski thinks there is a distinction between the change and Eastern’s general policy.

And Wendy Williamson believes the change will motivate students to focus on their academic responsibilities.

The Council on Academic Affairs voted to change the policy on study abroad and the National Student Exchange programs during their Sept. 6 meeting.

Grades earned while studying abroad or participating in the NSE program will count toward a student’s Eastern grade point average starting in the future.

In the past, credits earned while studying abroad or participating in the NSE program counted toward the student’s credit hours, but it did not affect the student’s GPA.

The idea to change the policy was brought forth to the Council on Academic Affairs. CAA voted 8-2 in approval of the change.

“I thought (the office of study abroad’s) reasoning was incredibly weak and not well-developed,” said Reid, a CAA member and history professor. “Basically, they said students were studying under the auspices of EIU, and that all of the programs were vetted by EIU faculty and were specifically related to study abroad.”

The office also claimed students work hard on study abroad courses and therefore the grade should be counted on the EIU GPA, Reid said.

“I don’t understand why EIU needs to own those courses and factor those courses into the GPA,” she said. “Study abroad experiences should be able to stand alone as important.”

Reid voted against the change in policy.

The difference between the NSE program and study abroad is the NSE program allows students to study in places within the United States and Canada. Study abroad allows a student to study within countries overseas.

The NSE program is also operated by the Honors College.

An unfair double standard

Reid is also concerned about an unfair double standard developing with this change in policy relative to transfer courses.

For example, if a student was enrolled in a course at the Heidelberg University in Germany, Reid said, that is a course offered through their university.

“There should be a separate transcript for those credits, and they would be factored into transfer credits not included in the EIU GPA,” she said. “Now, those credits would be a part of the EIU transcript with the indication they were earned through the study abroad at Heidelberg, and that grade would not be factored into the EIU GPA.”

With CAA approving the change in policy, this scenario does not happen because the grade would be factored into the EIU GPA, Reid said.

The office of study abroad’s rationale was courses taken by students at a domestic university, like a community college, are not previously evaluated by Eastern faculty, Reid said. She added advisors will tell students to take a course at another university over the summer because they know they can, and it will satisfy credits for Eastern’s requirements.

“I don’t see any differences except for some of the courses are taken at university study abroad,” Reid said.

Williamson, director for the office of study abroad, believes the difference is Eastern partners with universities abroad.

“We actually have agreements that we sign with universities abroad,” she said.

Roszkowski, CAA chair and business professor, said she sees Reid’s argument, but is hesitant to call it a double standard.

“I would say it is an exception to our general policy,” Roszkowski said. “In my mind, the arguments raised by Dr. (Bonnie) Irwin (dean of the Honors College) and Mrs. Williamson justified that exception.”

She added there is a distinction between study abroad and the NSE program, and a student who transfers credits from a domestic university. The distinction exists because Eastern sponsors study abroad and the NSE program, Roszkowski said.

“We certainly encourage students to go to community college, but our involvement is not that great,” Roszkowski said.

Heightened academic responsibility

Williamson said the change would heighten the academic responsibility for students who choose to participate in these programs.

“I think it will emphasize the study aspect of study abroad,” Williamson said. “It will dispel the myth that it is a vacation overseas, because it is not.”

The office of study abroad also brought the issue of financial aid, as it relates to a student studying abroad, as another reason why the change in policy should be approved during the meeting.

Dianna Ensign, associate director for the office of financial aid, said students lose their financial aid from the Illinois Monetary Award Program while studying abroad, but get to keep their federal loans.

Ensign said students can qualify for MAP grants after they come back from study abroad only if the grades earned in those study abroad courses are factored into their GPA and show up as a Eastern course on the transcript. This is not the case if study abroad courses are treated as transfer courses, she added.

“Students are going overseas and are taking courses that count towards their major, minor or general education requirements,” Williamson said. “They are receiving financial aid while they are gone, and they are enrolled at EIU and have all the benefits. It just made sense that they would receive credit grades and it would count towards their GPA.”

Roszkowski went into the meeting unsure of how she was going to vote on the issue.

“I could see both sides of the argument, and really did not know what the rationale was,” Roszkowski said. “I thought what they presented was convincing to me.”

Two explanations for the change stood out for Roszkowski. She said the first one was the fact students could, potentially, lose their state aid after they are done with studying abroad.

“I think study abroad and our participation in the NSE courses is a wonderful opportunity for students, and if there is something that is going to detract from that opportunity, I’m relatively opposed to it,” Roszkowski said. “That was the clincher for me.”

The second reason which motivated Roszkowski to vote to approve the change in policy was the change would encourage students to take the courses seriously.

‘Incredibly disruptive to their higher education goals’

Reid’s concern about the change policy does not stop at a double standard developing in relation to transfer courses.

She believes students’ individual goals will be affected and the time it takes for a student to know how the grade they earned in study abroad, or the NSE program, affects their GPA.

“Our department supports study abroad fully, but we also graduate a large number of students who are going to teach,” Reid said. “If they are studying abroad, and they get a grade that drops their GPA below the grade required to student teach, they won’t necessarily know that when they start student teaching.”

Reid said a student’s GPA would then fall below the minimum requirement for student teachers and then would have to be pulled out of the classroom because of it.

“That, to me, is incredibly disruptive to their higher education goals and professional careers,” she said.

Williamson said the office of study abroad receives a transcript from the overseas institution and the office then processes it. The transcript usually is in the system within two weeks after it is received, she said.

“It’s not going to take them any longer than it is now,” Williamson said.

It does take longer than usual for the university to receive a transcript from an overseas university, she said.

Williamson also credits the increasing integration of these programs into Eastern as another motivating reason to change the current policy.

“You’re going to get grades for it just as you would on campus,” she said. “It is going to be considered a part of what you do towards your degree.”

Reid said there are too many unknowns yet on how this change in policy could affect students and their goals.

“Study abroad is a life experience. It’s not just sitting and reading constantly,” Reid said. “It’s bigger than that.”