The transition from the quarter to the semester system has resulted in changes in undergraduate and professional curricula. In some degree programs curricula have been changed substantially, in others, the changes have been less extensive. Whatever the curricular changes, advising this spring must help each student who began at Auburn before Fall 2000 to progress through the transition toward graduation without delay. Principles for facilitating students' progress in the transition follow.

The faculty of a degree program, together with the departmental head/chair, must decide how a student who began a degree program under the quarter system will complete the degree program under the semester system. Students are required to complete a minimum of 120 semester (or semester equivalent) hours and should master the body of knowledge required for the degree. Because in most degree programs the number of hours required for the degree, the number of courses needed, and the content and distribution of course content in the major requirements have changed significantly, completion of a minimum of 120 semester (or semester-equivalent) hours and of the body of knowledge for the given degree program defines when a student in the transition has completed the requirements for a degree. Programs should strive to evaluate students' records consistently and fairly.

Guidelines for Advising Students Through the Transition

• The dean/associate dean for academics of the college /school and the faculty and departmental head/chair of the degree program must ensure that a student has taken the appropriate courses to acquire the requisite body of knowledge before the degree is awarded. The courses may be either quarter or semester courses.
• Faculty involved in the degree program and the departmental head/chair, in conjunction with their dean or associate dean for academics, should assess the body of knowledge attained by each student under the quarter system and determine what courses are needed in the semester system.
• For some students, acquiring the requisite body of knowledge may mean that they should continue to follow the quarter curriculum, adapted to semester courses. Others should follow the semester curriculum requirements, while some may need some combination of requirements from both the quarter and semester curricula.
• All students must complete a minimum of 120 semester (or semester-equivalent) hours.

Protection of the Student in the Transition

Protecting students during the transition from the quarter to the semester system is a guiding principle that we adopted and have implemented throughout the transition. When advising students in the transition, every effort should be made not to delay the student's progress toward completion of the degree and graduation. However, students have the responsibility to follow the advice of the official departmental advisor throughout the transition. The faculty, department heads/chairs, and deans/associate deans have the responsibility to ensure that each student takes the appropriate courses to acquire a minimum of 120 semester (or semester-equivalent) hours and the body of knowledge required for the degree.