UT Considers Time Limit for Students

The University of Texas received a report from an enrollment task force recently that recommended the school limit students to just 10 semesters to complete their bachelor's degree.

Currently there is no time limit on how long a student can remain at the university. The task force pointed out in its report that many students spend a longer time than expected on campus. 

The university's Second Task Force on Enrollment Strategy presented the recommendation to President Powers. The task force also recommended initiatives and services to help students graduate sooner.

Some of those recommendations include ensuring students receive appropriate advising services and requiring mandatory advising for all students.

There also would be a requirement that interactive degree audits be completed and electronically acknowledged each semester by all undergraduate students.

Deans would systematically notify students about the status of progress toward their degree each semester.

President Powers and Provost Steven Leslie will review the recommendations and those of the previous task force.

The previous task force also recommended a ten semester limit. That proposed limit would only apply to long-session semesters, not summer school semesters.

It would also not apply to students who are in programs that are intended to take longer than four years to complete. In addition, the students would have the right to appeal the limit if there were special cicumstances. 

The report states that undergraduates at The University of Texas at Austin take 8.5 semesters to complete their degrees.

The second task force also recommended changes to policies regarding the changes of majors. These would include requiring a student to declare a major by the end of their fourth semester or by the time they have 60 hours, whichever is later.

Students would also be allowed only one major change before the completion of 90 hours according to the new recommendations.

CLICK HERE for more information and to read the full report.