AISS Newsletter: January 2026

Undergraduate Second Chance Academic Renewal Policy

Undergraduate Education, Academic Progression & Success, under the auspices of Academic Innovation & Student Success (AISS), is pleased to announce the implementation of the Undergraduate Second Chance Academic Renewal Policy. Through the Second Chance Academic Renewal Policy, former UAlbany students who are readmitted after being away for three consecutive years or more and who earn satisfactory grades after completion of one fall or spring semester, can petition the Committee on Academic Standing to restart their grade point average (GPA) if they meet certain conditions. Under this policy, which took effect in fall 2025, grades previously earned will remain a part of the student’s academic record but will not be used in the calculation of the student’s GPA.

This will be considered academic forgiveness and provide the student with a fresh start. There are times when a student may have had an unsuccessful academic career at UAlbany and ends up withdrawing or being academically dismissed. For such students returning to pursue their studies, their past academic performance can sometimes negatively affect their academic standing and prolong their degree completion.

The Second Chance Academic Renewal Policy will provide students with the opportunity to resume their studies without being penalized by their past academic record and at the same time the policy preserves the integrity of the University’s academic standards because all previously earned grades will remain a part of the student’s academic record. The proposed policy does not conflict with any other academic policy in place and strengthens our degree completion efforts, encouraging more students to choose the University at Albany as their re-entry point on their path to academic success and degree completion.

The Learning Commons Supplemental Instruction Pilot

Supplemental Instruction (SI), offered through the Learning Commons, supports student learning in several introductory math and science courses. Students enrolled in SI courses meet with a trained SI leader for weekly, collaborative sessions that are designed based on class lectures, notes, and course assignments. SI sessions provide opportunities for students to work together to discuss and apply key concepts, practice problem-solving, and develop as learners in the discipline.

As we move forward, the Learning Commons team will continue to seek opportunities to improve alignment and coordination of SI with the associated lecture courses. This semester, in collaboration with the Departments of Physics and Mathematics & Statistics, the Learning Commons is piloting SI as a scheduled discussion section in two courses—Physics I: Mechanics (APHY-140) and Calculus I (AMAT-112). The pilot will help us understand the impact of structured SI integration on student participation, engagement, and academic outcomes. Together with instructors and SI leaders, we will use what we learn to further refine course-embedded SI support.

Launch of the Transfer Evaluation System (TES)

On February 2, the University will launch the Transfer Evaluation System (TES), a platform that will serve as the centralized system for managing transfer equivalency information across campus. TES will replace the current practice of submitting transfer credit equivalency update requests via [email protected] and it will allow the campus to be more proactive in evaluating transfer course equivalencies for our students.

TES is intended to make the equivalency review process more efficient, transparent, and sustainable for departments, while providing students with clearer and more timely information about how their transfer coursework applies to their degree programs. The several benefits of TES include the provision of a single, centralized location for equivalency information, premium access to course catalogs and course descriptions from most universities, streamlined workflows that reduce back-and-forth e-mail communication, improved tracking and visibility of equivalency requests and decisions, greater consistency in how equivalencies are reviewed and applied, and faster access to accurate information for students and academic advisors, thus facilitating timely academic planning.

The implementation of TES builds on the Transfer Course Equivalency Portal which was launched in October 2025. To support the use of TES, we are asking each department to identify the individual(s) who will be responsible for course equivalency review and management within the system. Each department should therefore designate an equivalency approver, a faculty member or other departmental representative, who will be responsible for the review and approval of transfer equivalencies at the departmental level.

A department may designate more than one approver if this is a more effective and efficient workflow strategy. Each department should also designate a TES departmental approver, the individual who manages and oversees the equivalency requests and approvals in the TES platform. These roles, equivalency approver and TES departmental manager, may be assigned to the same individual or to different personnel depending on what structure works best for the department.

Department Chairs should submit the department’s designee (or designees) using the Transfer Equivalency System (TES) Departmental Designee(s) request form by January 29. If no designee is identified by this date, the Department Chair will serve as the default designee. The designee can be changed later if needed.

TES Training and Ongoing Support 
To support departments during the transition to TES, the Registrar’s Office is offering multiple one-hour TES training sessions (no registration is required) which can be accessed using the Zoom links below: 

• Monday, February 2: 12 p.m. 
• Tuesday, February 3: 11 a.m. 
• Wednesday, February 4: 10 a.m. 
• Thursday, February 5: 2 p.m.

Please contact [email protected] if you would like to schedule individual or departmental training outside of these scheduled training sessions.

The Learning Commons Welcomes New Staff

Alyana Contant, Communications and Operations Associate, joined the Learning Commons last December. Alyana works on enhancing student experience through hosting events, managing communications and operations, and collaborating with other departments to help create a more welcoming student environment.

Katie Rinaolo, STEM Coordinator, also joined the Learning Commons last year. She supports student learning, particularly in high enrollment STEM courses, through coordination of the Supplemental Instruction (SI) program. Katie manages recruitment, training, and supervision of undergraduate SI Leaders who facilitate weekly collaborative sessions.

Please join us in welcoming Alyana Contant and Katie Rinaolo to the Learning Commons Team!