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139. Course Audit by Older Adults
State University of New York Policy Handbook, No. 130 (Revised Edition 1981)

Each campus should have a clearly defined policy on "auditing," which should include this group of new learners, and this policy should be explained carefully to enrollees at the earliest possible moment prior to class attendance. Included in this explanation should be specifications on the role of an auditor, normally expected responsibilities, and specific limitations, if any, on class participation.

Adequate academic advisement should be available to these students, within the capabilities of each campus, and appropriate members of the campus community should be alerted to their presence and be sensitive to their special needs. Neither adherence to normal academic requirements nor grades should be required for this group of learners. Restrictions on admission to courses with educationally necessary prerequisites and with extensive laboratory or individualized studio activities may be imposed, with room always for reasonable exceptions.

Library and other supportive academic services should be available to all students, subject to prior preferential access by students enrolled in classes for credit.

Access to campus cultural and social activities should be made available free or at a minimal fee, based on campus discretion. Parking privileges and campus identification cards should be provided as for other part-time students, with appropriate consideration for special human physical limitations. Health services, as presently funded, should be made available on an emergency basis only, within individual campus discretion. No special fees for campus services should be charged except with prior authorization from the Vice Chancellor for Finance and Business.

It is expected that educationally perceptive and meaningful campus governance arrangements will be developed to respond effectively to this new dimension of educational involvement. A specific need seems apparent: the designation of an appropriate campus officer as the focal point of all inquiries related to such new learners and the establishment of meaningful bridges to other community agencies serving older adults, such as the Office for the Aging, etc., particularly for publicizing availability of the program.

Since the authorizing legislation clearly indicates that auditing privileges should not deny attendance to regularly enrolled students, an enrollment list of potential auditors should be maintained on a first-come, first-served basis, until it is clear that classroom space will be available. Whether this judgment is made after the final day of registration or earlier is a matter of campus discretion. Eligibility for enrollment should be verified, however.

Campus records should be maintained as to the number of older adult auditors, with such information as seems pertinent, including numbers enrolled and, if possible, subject areas of interest, previous education and occupational and educational goals, if any. Information on the numbers of such auditors at each campus will be collected by the Office of Institutional research as a part of its regular enrollment survey. The legislation authorizing this program did not intend it to apply to noncredit courses funded under income-reimbursable arrangements.

The legislation extending the program to community colleges indicated that state aid to those institutions was not affected.

[Ltr. Gould to CAO's May 19, 1965; MP 74-26, MP 74-42; PM 059.7] ACAD