Paige Wassel
Senior Writer
Pre-registration for the fall semester is fast approaching and students are weighing the options of classes to take. If you are interested in taking an exchange-credit class at either East Tennessee State University or Emmanuel School of Religion, this is what they need to know.
In the credit-exchange program, full-time students can register at Milligan to
take a class at ETSU, receiving Milligan credit for the class. Traci Smith,
Milligan’s coordinator for the program and assistant registrar, said that the
class a student wants to take should be required for his or her program of study
and a class that cannot fit into his or her schedule from this point on in their
academic career.
“I think (students) need to be aware that the co-op program is not an avenue for
pursuing electives at ETSU instead of Milligan,” Smith said. “The co-op program
is designed to assist students who are in a bind, preferably a bind that is not
of their own making, for fulfilling graduation requirements on time.”
In applying for a co-op class, the student must first receive the approval of
his or her adviser, then the area chair, and finally the form goes to Traci
Smith. If the form is refused, the student can appeal to Academic Dean Mark
Matson.
Matson said that, in general, if a student needs a class to graduate or stay on
track for graduation, and Milligan isn’t offering it, it’s approved. On the flip
side Matson said that classes “that are just something interesting to take” are
denied.
“The gray area comes when a student has a class that would be helpful but isn’t
a requirement,” Matson said.
Matson said that he takes into consideration the student's major, background,
and interests when reviewing the co-op application form.
“It becomes a judgment call about whether our education is adequate or not. We
have to ask the question, ‘Is it reasonable to assume that that class should be
offered within that major?’’ Matson said.
Laura Jones, a senior chemistry and business major, is currently taking
biological chemistry lab through the credit-exchange program, but was rejected
for another class that she applied for.
“I was a little frustrated because it seemed like the actual policy was
different than how I had heard it described as a prospective student,” Jones
said.
Jones said she felt that the policy should be easily accessible to students.
Milligan currently has no written policy on the exchange credit program. Matson
said that Milligan entered into with the intention of being used primarily for
majors, but the way the program was monitored became very lax.
“I think we started monitoring it more closely two years ago when the money for
the transfer (credits) increased,” Matson said.
Matson said he would try to work on formulating a stated policy this year.
Although ETSU students are also able to take Milligan classes through this
cooperative program, Matson said that ETSU students can only use the program for
electives.
In terms of the exchange program, Milligan keeps track of the number of students
sent to ETSU and the number ETSU sends to Milligan, and the college is billed
for the remaining credit hours at an in-state rate, usually totaling
approximately $20,000 to $25,000 per year.
Last semester, 29 students took credit-exchange classes and this semester 19
students are participating.