10.5 Admissions policies and practices

The institution publishes admissions policies consistent with its mission. Recruitment materials and presentations accurately represent the practices, policies, and accreditation status of the institution. The institution also ensures that independent contractors or agents used for recruiting purposes and for admission activities are governed by the same principles and policies as institutional employees.

Judgment

x Compliance o Non-Compliance o Partial Compliance

Narrative

Undergraduate Admissions

Requirements for undergraduate admission are outlined in recruitment materials, the University Catalog, and the University Website – Admissions Tab. The regular review of this information and its compliance with the Louisiana Board of Regents Admission Standards helps to ensure that this information is consistent and accurate.

The Office of Undergraduate Admissions and Recruitment promotes the mission of UL Lafayette by working to attract qualified applicants, thereby helping the University to “develop leaders and innovators who advance knowledge, cultivate aesthetic sensibility, and improve the human condition.” Applicants for undergraduate admission are classified as first-time freshman, transfer, re-entry, or non-degree. All undergraduate applicants must complete and submit an application for admission through the online application system. Additional information may be required to determine if the applicant meets admissions requirements.

First-Time Freshman

First-time freshman applicants are those who have not earned college-level academic hours since high school graduation (with the exception of the summer immediately following high school graduation). First-time freshman applicants are required to submit an application fee, ACT or SAT scores, and a high school transcript in support of their application for admission. UL Lafayette follows the minimum admission standards for regular freshman admission for a statewide university as determined by the Louisiana BOR. Each of following requirements must be met to be considered for regular admission as a first-time freshman to the University:

· Completion of Regents’ Core of 19 units (from TOPS University or Core 4 Curriculum);

· Minimum overall high school GPA of 2.00;

· Minimum high school GPA on core courses of 2.50 (or ACT Composite of 23); and

· ACT English of 18 or above and ACT Math of 19 or above (or other equivalent as defined by the BOR).

Transfer

Transfer applicants are those who have attended another university/college since their high school graduation. In addition to the application for admission, transfer applicants are required to submit an application fee and transcripts from all universities/colleges attended for initial application review. If an applicant has completed fewer than 24 college-level academic hours, then ACT or SAT scores and high school transcripts will also be required for admission consideration. UL Lafayette follows the minimum admission standards for regular admission of transfer students for a statewide university as determined by the BOR. Transfer applicants must meet one of the following requirements to be considered for regular admission to the University:

· Earn a transferrable Associate Degree (AA or AS) or higher;

· Earn a minimum of 24 college-level academic hours with a minimum GPA of 2.25, including completion of a college-level English and a college-level Mathematics course designed to fulfill general education requirements with a grade of C or better; or

· Meet first-time freshman admission requirements and be in good standing with the previous institution attended.

Re-Entry

Re-entry applicants are those who have previously attended UL Lafayette. Students must apply for readmission if they fail to attend one or more regular semester(s) at the University. In addition to the application for admission, re-entry applicants are required to submit an application fee and transcripts from all colleges or universities attended (except UL Lafayette). They must also have a minimum GPA of 1.50 to be considered for regular admission to the University.

Non-Degree

Undergraduate non-degree applicants are those who intend to enroll at the University, but do not plan to pursue a Bachelor’s degree. For non-degree consideration, including High School Dual Enrollment, Special Non-Degree, Post-Baccalaureate, Visiting Student, or DOORS (Diversified Opportunities for Older and Returning Students), applicants must provide an application fee, high school transcripts, and/or university/college transcripts in support of their application for admission.

Other Considerations

International applicants are required to submit additional information, regardless of the admissions category to which they apply. All international applicants must provide the following:

· Proof of English proficiency;

· Copy of passport;

· Chronological record of education; and

· Proof of financial guarantee (if I-20 or DS-2019 needed).

To satisfy the English proficiency requirement, an undergraduate international student must meet one of the following criteria:

· Minimum ACT English sub-score of at least 18 or its SAT equivalent;

· Minimum score of 70 (Internet-based test)/523 (paper-based test) on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL);

· Minimum score of 6.0 on the International English Language Testing System test (IELTS);

· Minimum score of 50 on the Pearson Test of English Academic (PTE Academic); or

· Completion of high school education in a country with English as the official language.

Unofficial application materials are used in the initial consideration of an application for admission; however, official application materials are required upon an offer of admission. Applicants who register for class and have not provided official application documents by the fifth day of the semester (third day of the summer session) will have their registration cancelled and a hold placed on their account.

Degree-seeking applicants who do not meet admissions requirements may submit an Application for Admission by Committee to be considered for admission by exception. The application for Admission by Committee is available upon request, and these applications are reviewed by the Admission by Exception Committee. Criteria considered in the admission decision include GPA, high school academic history and improvements in academic performance, extracurricular activities, work experience, life events that have had an impact on academic performance, and letters of recommendation. In all cases, the final admission decision will be based on the applicant’s potential to be academically successful at the University.

Recruitment Materials

Prospective students and applicants receive recruitment and admissions information through one or more of the following:

· University Travel Brochure

· Campus Visit Experience

· UL Virtual Campus Experience

· UL Explore/High school/Transfer Fair

· Email/letter from recruitment Constituent Relationship Management (CRM) system (Ellucian CRM Recruit)

· University Admissions Website

· University Catalog

The Office of Undergraduate Admissions and Recruitment, in collaboration with the Enrollment Management leadership and the Office of Communications and Marketing, develops recruitment materials, presentations, website content, and programs that accurately represent the University’s policies and procedures related to undergraduate admission. While the Office of Undergraduate Admissions and Recruitment develops the initial concept and messaging for recruitment materials, the Vice President for Enrollment Management and the Office of Communications and Marketing have final approval regarding content and design of recruitment materials. Final approval is needed before recruitment materials/information can be ordered, sent, or shown to prospective students/applicants.

The Office of Undergraduate Admissions and Recruitment utilizes a CRM system to organize communications sent to prospective students and applicants. The implementation of CRM Recruit in June 2019 (effective for admission for Summer 2020 forward) provided the opportunity to thoroughly review all prospective student and applicant communication plans, guaranteeing consistency in messaging and branding and ensuring approval of Enrollment Management and Communications and Marketing for all recruitment messages and materials.

The Admissions tab on the University home page is widely used and is a comprehensive source of information. Prospective students use the website for basic information about the University, admissions criteria, financial aid, scholarships, and programs of study, as well as a preview of the general student experience through interactive tour/videos. A wide variety of on-campus programming for prospective students is available regarding academic programs and admissions policies of the University.

University policies related to undergraduate admissions are reviewed at least annually as part of the University Catalog update process. The leadership team in Undergraduate Admissions reviews relevant Catalog information and proposes corrections/updates to the Vice President for Enrollment Management. If approved, the corrections/updates are sent to the Assistant Vice President for Academic Affairs – Academic Programs for inclusion in the next edition of the University Catalog. As part of this review process, updates are made to the Admissions website, as needed, to keep the website in alignment with the University Catalog regarding undergraduate admissions policies and procedures. The Office of Undergraduate Admissions and Recruitment works closely with the Office of Communications and Marketing for any changes to website information related to admissions policies and procedures.

Undergraduate Admissions and Recruitment staff members undergo extensive training on undergraduate admissions policies and procedures upon their initial hire. Annual training sessions are held in June and July to ensure a uniform approach to admissions processing and to provide staff members with the opportunity to refine procedures leading to a streamlined admissions process for applicants. Recruitment staff members attend additional training sessions with each academic college/department annually before the recruitment season. Undergraduate Admissions and Recruitment also conduct monthly staff meetings to keep all staff members abreast of changes to policies and procedures that affect their role in the undergraduate admissions process.

Recruitment staff members attend more than 850 college and high school fairs and programs throughout the year. Off‐campus visits are made for presentations to College Nights, Parent Nights, special-interest groups such as ACT “prep” classes, and Advanced Placement (AP) and Honors classes. Counselors travel the entire state and occasionally visit the surrounding states of Texas, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, and Mississippi. The statewide travel schedule is organized by the Louisiana Association of College Registrars and Admissions Officers (LACRAO), which divides the states into zones. Initial and annual training sessions are designed to emphasize accurate presentation of information pertaining to the University and the degrees it offers. These training sessions reinforce procedures related to undergraduate admission, and allow the staff to review relevant documentation for reference, such as departmental training documents, the University Catalog, the University’s website, etc.

The Office of Undergraduate Admissions and Recruitment works with the undergraduate academic colleges to include accurate and up-to-date information regarding degree programs in all recruitment materials, presentations, and outreach efforts. Discipline-specific recruitment materials are designed within the academic colleges and generally highlight academic programs and research, not specific admissions requirements. The academic colleges work with the Office of Communications and Marketing to ensure consistency in discipline-specific recruitment materials.

Graduate Admissions

Included in the University’s Mission Statement is the commitment to offer graduate programs that “seek to develop scholars who will variously advance knowledge, cultivate aesthetic sensibility, and improve the material conditions of mankind.” The mission of the Graduate School complements this greater University purpose by further committing to “design and maintain intellectually rigorous programs that lead students to extend their knowledge, expand their capabilities, and develop critical thinking skills and expertise necessary to conduct original research.” The Graduate School’s admissions policies and practices are designed to ensure the admission of students capable of achieving these ends.

The requirements for graduate admission are outlined on the Graduate School website and also in the University Catalog. With the assistance of an ad hoc committee composed of faculty from all academic colleges housing a graduate program and the graduate program leadership, the Graduate Council conducted a review of the requirements for admission to graduate studies at UL Lafayette. This review, along with a previous Graduate Council review of application and admission policies for international graduate applicants, resulted in a revision of the policies governing graduate applications and admission. These revised policies have been approved for inclusion in the 2019-2020 Undergraduate and Graduate Academic Catalog, and will be used to evaluate graduate applications for Fall 2019 and subsequent semesters.

Students may be admitted to the Graduate School in one of the following four categories: Degree students, Certificate students, Special Non-Degree students, and Entrée students. All applicants must submit an application through the online application system. Upon application, prospective Degree students and Special Non-Degree students must provide transcripts from all colleges previously attended. These applicants may submit unofficial transcripts, which may be used for application evaluation and review. An official transcript from all colleges previously attended is required upon admission; registered students who do not provide official transcripts by the fifth day of the semester have their registration cancelled and admission rescinded. Upon application, prospective Degree students must provide letters of reference from at least three individuals and, depending upon the degree program to which they seek admission, the official results of the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) or the Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT). Non-degree seeking applicants (i.e., certificate program, special non-degree, and entrée applicants) must apply to the Graduate School and provide official transcripts demonstrating proof of baccalaureate degree.

To be eligible for regular admission to the Graduate School in a master’s program, an applicant must satisfy general requirements for admission to the University; hold a baccalaureate or a master's degree from a regionally accredited institution; provide official documentation of an undergraduate grade-point average of not less than 2.75 (4.0 scale) on all work attempted, or an undergraduate grade-point average of not less than 3.0 (4.0 scale) on the last 60 semester hours or last 90 quarter hours (coursework completed in the United States only), or a graduate grade-point average of 3.0 (4.0 scale) on all previously earned graduate degrees; and demonstrate English language proficiency, if applicable.

To be eligible for regular admission to a doctoral program, an applicant must satisfy general requirements for admission to the University; hold a baccalaureate or a master’s degree from a regionally accredited institution; provide official documentation of an undergraduate grade-point average of 3.0 (4.0 scale) or a minimum grade-point average of 3.3 (4.0 scale) on all graduate work attempted; and demonstrate English language proficiency, if applicable.

Beginning with Fall 2019 applications, the Graduate School will no longer require satisfactory official GRE or GMAT scores as a University-wide graduate admission requirement. Instead, such requirements shall be determined by individual graduate degree programs. In evaluating these scores as part of the application process, individual graduate admission committees use a portfolio approach. This practice is in line with the Education Testing Services (ETS) recommendation that standardized test scores not be used as a cut-off and/or a single criterion to make admissions decisions. Thus, while GRE and GMAT test scores are part of the application, they are but one of the factors considered for admission—as well as funding—decisions.

Some applicants may be required to demonstrate English language proficiency. Applicants who hold a baccalaureate or graduate degree with primary instruction in English from an accredited institution in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom (England, Northern Ireland, Scotland, and Wales), Ireland, Australia, and New Zealand are not required to demonstrate English proficiency. All other applicants must demonstrate English proficiency by submitting satisfactory Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or International English Language Testing System (IELTS) official scores. The Graduate School reserves the right to require proof of English proficiency of other applicants when deemed warranted. TOEFL scores below 550 on the written examination or 79 on the internet-based examination, and IELTS scores below 6.5 are not considered satisfactory. Upon entering the University, students may also be required to take the English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) placement test. Graduate Teaching Assistants may have additional English language proficiency requirements.

Conditional admission may be considered for applicants to graduate degree programs who do not meet the criteria for regular admission defined above. In such instances, the following criteria are used to appeal for conditional acceptance: the applicant’s GPA in the major field of study; the number of successfully completed hours in the applicant’s major field of study; the strength and appropriateness of the applicant’s undergraduate curriculum; letters of reference; a strong score on the GRE or GMAT if submitted as part of the application; and/or publications and professional or other experience relevant to the field of study.

An applicant who is ineligible to register in any previously attended institution as a graduate is not admissible to the Graduate School (without completing a formal appeal process). The Graduate School, in cooperation with the Graduate Council and the University Committee on Graduate Student Success and Retention, reviews these admissions criteria and their relation to graduate student success. Individual graduate programs may require additional application materials, establish different application deadlines, and/or establish higher standards than the minimum admission requirements maintained by the Graduate School. Each graduate program reviews its admissions standards and curriculum annually. Finally, the Graduate Student Appeals Committee, a standing committee of the Graduate Council, reviews requests for admission/readmission by prospective graduate students who have been denied admission and graduate students who have become ineligible to continue in graduate study; the policies and procedures governing these appeals are outlined in the University Catalog and on the Graduate School website.

Graduate Recruitment

The staff of the Graduate School and faculty within the individual graduate programs are responsible for developing recruitment materials, presentations, and programs that accurately represent the University’s graduate policies, practices, and programs. These individuals work in partnership with the staff of the Office of Communications and Marketing to create high-quality, accurate recruitment print materials like the Graduate School Brochure and individual degree program brochures. They also develop web content that offers guidance for those applying to graduate school, and highlights the University’s graduate programs, students, graduate faculty, and alumni. All content produced goes through multiple levels of review and, as appropriate, is vetted and approved by the individual graduate programs, the Office of Communications and Marketing, and the Graduate School. Here are samples of reviewed recruitment materials:

· GR Sample Architecture Program, Grad School, and Communications & Marketing Review

· GR Sample Geology Program, Grad School, and Communications & Marketing Review

Staff of the Graduate School and/or the Office of Communications and Marketing produce content that is then reviewed for approval or emendation by the Dean of the Graduate School. Upon approval, content is sent to the Graduate Coordinator of the program to review and to provide feedback. Revisions are made, with input from both the Graduate School and Communications and Marketing, and materials are returned to the Graduate Coordinator. Upon approval of the graduate program, web content is then scheduled in the Graduate School content calendar for posting to various webpages (Department/Grad Program/Grad School) and via social media.

The Admissions tab on the University’s homepage provides a link that connects prospective graduate students to the Graduate School website. When used together, the Admissions link and the Graduate School’s Prospective Students tab provide accurate information about the admission process, the graduate degree programs offered at UL Lafayette, housing options, tuition and fees, and assistantships, fellowships, and other funding opportunities. Print materials and web pages are regularly reviewed and updated.

The Graduate School is engaged in multiple recruitment activities, offering:

· programming to UL Lafayette undergraduates interested in pursuing graduate studies, including “Gear Up for Grad School,” “Road Map to Grad School: Round Table Discussions with the Dean,” and “Intro to the GRE for Students”;

· recruitment support through the GRE Search Service and the McNair Scholars Directory;

· participation in various Career Fairs and Grad Expos at UL Lafayette and at other universities as funding permits;

· funding to individual graduate programs to attend recruitment events/conferences, to produce recruitment materials, and to advertise;

· dedicated funds for the recruitment of minority graduate students; and

· review and update of content accuracy and financial support for use of the GradSchoolMatch.com platform.

Undergraduate and Graduate Recruitment Partnerships

The Office of Undergraduate Admissions and Recruitment and the Graduate School work in partnership with the Office of Distance Learning to produce recruitment materials and web content for the University’s online undergraduate and graduate programs. When using independent contractors to design and write advertorial content for search, display, and social media use, nothing is posted or used unless there is prior review and approval from the University, as outlined in these advertising contracts: Academic Partnerships Contract and Thruline Contract.

Independent contractors used for recruiting purposes and for admission activities are bound to the same principles and policies as institutional employees. Before any ads are approved for publication, they must pass through three stages of approval:

1. Office of Distance Learning. The Office of Distance Learning works directly with marketing partners to ensure ad sets meet the agreed upon briefs, the standard of work as contractually outlined, and the branding and diversity reflective of the University and distance learning programs.

2. College or Department. Distance Learning management review ad materials with Deans and Department Heads for messaging and imagery to ensure the ads accurately and appropriately represent each college and program.

3. Office of Communications and Marketing. Final approval is given by the University Office of Communications and Marketing, which reviews ad materials for consistent messaging, as well as adherence to all UL Lafayette brand standards and guidelines for design, text, graphics, colors, and images.

Once all parties have reviewed and approved materials, the Office of Distance Learning serves as the liaison to the marketing vendor to ensure changes are carried out.

Additionally, all websites, web content, communication plans, and messaging created by independent contractors for recruitment purposes go through multiple levels of review and, as appropriate, are vetted by the individual academic programs, the Office of Communications and Marketing, the Office of Distance Learning, the Office of Undergraduate Admissions and Recruitment, and the Graduate School. No content is posted or used unless approved by all internal parties. Content also is reviewed each semester by the on-campus parties and updated regularly. Additionally, monthly conference calls are held with independent contractors, in addition to in-person, on-campus check-in meetings at least once per year, to ensure accuracy of recruiting and admission information.