CSUN to End Taking Class Just for Fun : Fraud and Rising Enrollment Force the Demise of Auditing at Northridge

Attending school while caring for her sick husband proved too stressful for Dorothy Portugal, so she opted to audit her classes at California State University, Northridge.

“I’ve had wonderful experiences auditing classes,” said Portugal, a CSUN graduate. “Even though I don’t need the credit, I want it on record I attended the class.”

In the fall, however, Portugal will no longer be able to take classes without credit or grade. At that time, CSUN will become the only state-run campus to eliminate the auditing of classes.

Now, students in the California State system are able to audit classes with instructor permission and payment of regular tuition fees, but audits are not recorded on transcripts at any of the 19 state colleges except CSUN.

Grade fraud and crowded classes contributed to the decision made more than a year ago to end auditing.

According to Eric Forbes, associate director of admissions at CSUN, students have been known to alter transcripts, changing “A/U”--meaning audit--to an “A” by erasing the “U” part of the grade. In another example of abuse, Forbes tells of a student who audited art classes to use campus kilns for a private pottery business.

At USC, grade fraud is the reason a committee on academic policies and procedures made the decision several years ago to stop recording audits on transcripts. Out of a student population of 30,000, 1,700 choose to audit each semester. USC registrar Howard Saperston believes the auditing policy will remain the same for the next few years.

“Here, they’re paying an awful lot of money to audit and, with instructor permission, we feel that’s their decision,” said Saperston.

Auditing at CSUN was abolished by the Educational Policies Committee in 1985--to be effective in the fall of 1988--with little fanfare. In 1987, the Graduate Studies Committee followed suit.

Ed O’Brien, administrative assistant of academic programs, said the Educational Policies Committee based its decision on two factors: As in other local colleges, CSUN receives no state funding for students who audit, and administrators felt that taking classes for credit forces students to become involved.

“With our current enrollment problems, auditing is no longer appropriate or necessary,” O’Brien said.

Department chairmen also find auditing inappropriate. William Zucchero, director of undergraduate studies in theater, said, “I don’t see that it works for us.” Zucchero finds the interest in auditing classes diminishing, as do most department heads.

William B. Knowles, chairman of the psychology department, says only one or two students in an entire year ask to audit.

The abolition of auditing on the Northridge campus will affect about 100 students a semester, according to Forbes. At Pierce College in Woodland Hills, fewer than 50 of the 18,500 students enrolled audits each semester.

Auditing at Pierce is allowed, but not encouraged, said Jess Craig, assistant dean of admissions and records. “Our first priority goes to credited students,” he said. With instructor approval, auditors may take leftover spaces in class.

As is the case at all schools in the Los Angeles Community College District, Pierce students who pay the maximum fee of $50 are allowed to audit one class free. Otherwise, payment is $15 a credit hour.

UCLA Extension may be the exception to the rule that schools discourage students from auditing. Although most students enrolled in UCLA’s extension courses take classes for grades, “we have no intention of omitting the audit,” said registrar Evan Feldreis. Of the 120,000 students who register yearly with UCLA extension, 32% choose the NFC, or not-for-credit option.

“We deal in continuing education classes, which is a whole different ball of wax,” said Mike Stone, public affairs officer for UCLA extension. “Our people are not generally going for degrees.”

Many classes and workshops offered through UCLA Extension are not available for credit, said Leslie Hefler, manager of student services.

“Classes such as ‘Taking Charge of Your Life,’ or ‘Compulsive Eating as a Feminine Statement,’ really can’t be graded, but do offer continuing education units,” she said.

This counters the policy at UCLA itself, which keeps no records and collects no fees for auditors. Students who sit in on classes are regarded as guests of the instructor and must gain his or her permission to attend.

Students will follow these same guidelines regarding auditing at CSUN this fall.

“Academic freedoms are not being jeopardized by this (decision) at all,” Forbes said.

Students who wish to take classes without taking a grade may do so with instructor’s permission. Or a student can select a credit/no credit option, which requires the student to pass the class with a grade of C or better.

Students like Sister Ann Lubenko consider the idea of asking an instructor to allow her in class as a guest a form of charity she won’t accept.

“I’m going to fight for my right to audit,” she said. As a senior citizen and former Catholic school teacher, Lubenko finds auditing classes keeps her mind sharp without the bother of taking tests.

Both Lubenko and Dorothy Portugal believe the demise of the class audit discriminates against older students, most of whom already have degrees.

“I think it’s a mistake,” Portugal said. “Older students contribute a lot to the class.”

Thomas Bader, chairman of the CSUN history department, said he understands Portugal.

“Some students may be physically incapable of handling the stress involved in taking an exam, yet can add a lot to the class,” he said. “Some just like the satisfaction of being an enrolled student.”

In the fall of 1988 it is an option CSUN will no longer provide.

“This university wants class participation,” Forbes said. Auditing does not reflect class performance and with enrollment at an all time high, Forbes said there are too many students seeking degrees to leave room for auditors.