The ARB FAQ Frequently-Asked Questions for the Academic Recommendations Board November 2, 2004 Q: Where can I find the ARB FAQ? A: This document is posted and maintained on the ARB web site, which is http://arb.olin.edu. Q: The Math and Science requirements in the catalog are confusing and possibly inconsistent. What's up with that? A: The ARB has recently approved changes in the catalog to clarify the Math and Science requirements. There is a handout explaining these changes. Q: What's the difference between ARB, COSAP, and Linda Canavan? A: Linda is the Registrar, and probably the person on campus who understands the rules the best, but she should not be the first person you ask. If you have a question about registration or graduation requirements, you should read the catalog, then read this FAQ, then ask your adviser. If that doesn't do it, Linda is the next stop. Please keep in mind that Linda does not make policy and cannot grant exceptions, so you should not blame her for rules you don't like or ask her to break them. If there is a rule you don't like, you should talk to ARB. The best way to do that is through the student representatives, Kat Kim and Dan Lindquist. Of course, you can also talk directly to any of the other members of ARB. Just keep in mind that no individual member of ARB has the ability to make policy. If you would like to make an exception to an existing rule, you should petition either ARB or COSAP, depending on the exception. In general, ARB oversees the development of curricular policy and grants individual exceptions to that policy. COSAP oversees student progress and grants individual exceptions to non-curricular policies. As examples, a petition to use an alternative course to fulfill a requirement should go to ARB; petitions to waive the credit limit or override a deadline should go to COSAP. Of course, if you send a petition to the "wrong" place, we will forward it to the right place. Q: How do I petition ARB? A: First, you should talk to your adviser about your proposal. If your adviser agrees that it sounds reasonable, he or she should submit a note supporting your petition. If not, it's not a good sign, but you can petition anyway. You should also talk to a faculty member with expertise in any area that pertains to your petition. Second, you should talk to a member of the ARB, who might have some relevant background information. In particular, if there have been previous similar cases, you might use them to frame your argument. Remember that you are asking for an exception, so the burden is on you to explain why your situation is exceptional. Third, you should compose a memo presenting your case and send it, along with any supporting documents, to arb@lists.olin.edu. Petitions don't have to be long or formal, but they should contain all the information you imagine the ARB will need. Q: How do I petition COSAP? A: Again, you should talk to your adviser first. If your adviser agrees, he or she should submit a note supporting your petition. Again, remember that you are asking for an exception, so the burden is on you to explain why your situation is exceptional. Submit your petition, along with any supporting information, to the Registrar (registrar@olin.edu). There is no standard form for COSAP petitions because the information you provide depends on the nature of the petition. Q: If I take a class at BB or W, can I take it for a non-letter grade? A: In general, when you take a class at another school, you play by the rules of the other school (see page 44 of the catalog). For example, Wellesley offers the option to take a class for Credit/No Credit, which is similar to our Pass/No Credit. But Babson does not offer a similar option. If you are using a class at another school to meet subject requirements for your major, you must take it for a letter grade. Q: Which required classes can be taken as part of an away experience, or transfered from another college? A: Rules for transferring credits from another college are on page 51 of the catalog. There are currently no classes that must be taken at Olin, but if you plan to use a class at another college (or any other away experience) to satisfy an Olin requirement, you must get prior permission. Decisions about credit and course requirements are made by ARB. Decisions about degree requirements are made by the appropriate program group. The program groups are listed on the ARB web site. Q: Can students get credit for doing research during the summer? A: Two rules apply here. First, you cannot get credit and money for the same activity. So if you got paid, you can't get credit. Second, the college does not, officially, have a summer session, so it is not possible to register for or get credit for summer activities. If you register at another college in the summer and get credit for activities there, it is possible that you could transfer those credits, subject to the rules for transfer credits on page 51. The ARB may be revisiting this question later this semester. Q: What kinds of activities can be used to fulfill the the Technical Self-Study Requirement? A: This part of the new curriculum is not well defined at this point. ARB plans to take up this topic this semester. For the time being, students cannot register for Technical Self-Study, so most members of the Class of 2006 will complete this requirement in their senior year. It is possible that some independent and research activities will satisfy this requirement retroactively, but students cannot, at this point, depend on that possibility. Q: How do I design my own concentration within the E degree? A: For now, the only answer to this question is on page 16 of the catalog: "Alternatively, Engineering degree students may design a concentration by working with relevant members of the faculty and receiving prior approval from the ARB." ARB is currently considering a proposal that will provide details on when and how students propose a design. If you are planning to design your own concentration, you should be working with relevant faculty now; ideally you should have a complete plan before you register for next semester. More details will be available in a few weeks. Q: Do seniors and juniors have the option of fulfilling the graduation requirements of the old curriculum? A: Members of the classes of 2006 and 2007 have the option of graduating under the new curriculum or the old, but it's all or nothing; you can't mix them. Under the transition plan, it is still possible to graduate under the old curriculum, but there will be some challenges in making that happen. For example, it will probably be necessary to petition ARB to substitute new classes for classes in the old curriculum that will not be offered. If you intend to graduate under the old curriculum, please discuss this with your adviser as soon as possible and, if you decide to proceed, please notify the ARB so we can plan appropriately. If you plan to graduate under the new curriculum, and you find that decisions you made under the old rules have put you in a difficult position under the new rules, you can petition ARB for an exception. In some cases our options are limited, but we will try to do the right thing. Q: What happened to the Pass/No Credit rules? A: The Pass/No Credit rules changed when we adopted the new curriculum. The current rules are on page 46 of the catalog. These rules apply to all students, but again, if you made decisions under the old rules that put you in a difficult position, you can petition ARB. Some people were surprised by the change in the deadline for switching to Pass/No Credit. If this deadline change put you in a difficult position, you should petition COSAP as soon as possible. We don't know yet what the outcome of such a petition will be.