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Academic Advising

At the time of admission, each full-time or degree-seeking student is assigned an advisor. The advisors help students plan their programs and register each term. Advisors are also available to help students with any academic problems that arise during the term and to refer students to a variety of support services.

Credit and Grading System

The average credit load for full-time students is twelve credits per term. At the discretion of the deans or advisors, a student may take fewer than twelve credits a term, but any program with fewer than nine academic credits per term (i.e., not counting P.E. and athletic credits) places a student on part-time status. Full-time students should register for a minimum total of thirty-four credits each year.

Grade points earned in a course are calculated by multiplying the number of credits by the grade point number corresponding to the grade earned. A student's overall grade point average is calculated by dividing the total of earned grade points by the total term credits of courses taken.

Failure in a required course means that the course must be repeated successfully before the student will receive a degree. A failure in a course needed to meet the distribution requirements for a degree may be made up by substituting another course in the same area for the one failed. A failed elective course does not require either make-up or substitution.

Incomplete. When for reasons beyond their control, such as sickness, students do not complete a course as scheduled, their work may be marked Incomplete. This work must be completed by the end of the fourth week following the term in which the "I" is given; otherwise the "I" will automatically be changed to "F". All Incompletes must be approved by the Associate Dean of Academic Affairs.

In Progress is given for work that spans more than one term, such as a co-op or senior paper.

Pass/Fail option to the regular grading system is offered on a limited basis to encourage registration in a course which the student might otherwise avoid as too difficult. Pass/fail option thus invites intellectual curiosity and mature response apart from grades. The option, open at time of registration to regular students in good standing, is limited to one course in a term and two courses in the academic year. It is not open to first year students during their first term. Certain courses are excluded from this option. See the College Catalog for details.

Dean's List will be posted following the close of each term showing the names of all regular college students who have earned an average of 3.50 or better for the term and who have taken at least 12 credits for that term. Students with any Incompletes will not be eligible for Dean's List for that term.

Audit. Full-time students wishing to audit a course may do so with the instructor's permission. Each instructor sets the course’s auditing policy regarding attendance, participation, and returns. Part-time students wishing to audit must pay the appropriate fees.

ACADEMIC DEFICIENCY

The College uses three categories of academic deficiency: Warning, Probation, and Suspension:

• Academic warning: A student’s grade point average for any term falls below 2.00, or the student receives a grade of "F" in any course.
• Academic probation: A student's grade point average for any term falls below 1.50.
• Academic suspension: A student's average for the best two out of the last three terms falls below 2.00. Example: last three terms: 1.50, 2.00, 1.30. Average = 1.50 + 2.00/2 = 1.75. The student would be suspended. Duration of suspension to be determined by the Dean's Advisory Committee (see below). Students who evidence a total disengagement from the academic life of the College may be suspended apart from the formula outlined above.

All decisions concerning academic standing are made by the Dean's Advisory Committee, which consists of the dean of the college, the associate deans, and the chair of academic advising.

Plagiarism policy. Sound education depends on academic integrity. Students and faculty alike must acknowledge and formally credit the work of others. Plagiarism is the presentation of another's work (words, ideas, research, etc.) as one's own. Incidents of plagiarism earn a failure for the individual assignment, often for the entire course. All faculty are required to report every incident of plagiarism or cheating to the associate dean of academic affairs. Repeated incidents lead to expulsion (see Student Handbook).

REGISTRATION

Full-time students are required to register with their academic advisors during registration periods as shown in the calendar for the school year. Students pay a $100 late fee if they do not register on time.

ATTENDANCE REGULATIONS

Instructors set their own policies for student absences. All students are expected to attend the first class since over-enrolled courses will drop registered students in favor of wait-listed students who show up for the first class.