Policies and Procedures

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Privacy of Student Records — The Family Education Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (Buckley Amendment) gives students and former students certain rights, consistent with the privacy of others, to review records, files, and data about them held on an official basis by the College. The Act also gives students and former students a right to challenge the content of those records, files, and data which they believe is inaccurate, misleading, or otherwise in violation of their privacy and other rights. Individuals may directly request review of the records maintained about them from the appropriate offices. Any challenges to the content of the records, files, and data that cannot be resolved directly should be made in writing to the Office of Academic Affairs.

Information assembled prior to January 1, 1975, under promises of confidentiality, explicit or implicit, will not be made available for review by the concerned students without the written consent of the authors.

Students should enroll in courses at least 5 days before the start date. Most course start dates, unless otherwise noted, will be the last day of the month, and most course end dates will be calculated as 15 weeks from the start date, with some program-specific variations. The start date for GoArmyEd courses will be posted as the 1^st day of the month. Student’s financial accounts must be in good standing prior to course enrollment.

For most courses offered at a distance, students have flexibility in scheduling coursework. For certain circumstances, this may include an extension of the course completion date for a small fee. However, the specific format of the course delivery method will determine the course enrollment period as well as the availability of an extension.

Extensions

Students with extenuating circumstances, who have maintained satisfactory academic progress, may be eligible for a paid course extension. Satisfactory academic progress is defined as regular participation in a course, submitting a unit according to posted schedule or for online courses, on average, every 2-3 weeks. Eligibility and approval for an extension is based upon: the specific course format and the satisfactory completion of a minimum of three units, of which two units must have been previously graded, prior to the official completion date. The receipt of a written extension request and the accompanying per course extension fee, online.sjcme.edu/tuition-and-fees.php, received prior to the official course completion date. Extensions cannot be used to extend financial aid and/or deferment eligibility. The students financial account must be up-to-date in order to extend courses.

* Enrollment period begins at official course start date, which once established, cannot be changed. Students who participate in tuition assistance programs through the military or other sources, who receive financial aid or who may be deferring student loans, may have certain restrictions on course enrollment periods. These students are advised to consult their financial aid/tuition assistance source for details.

**Certain State regulations may dictate the length of these capstone/practica courses. See course description for specific enrollment period.

Drop/Add Policy, Substitution Policy

In most programs of study, students may substitute one course for another through the drop/add process with Advisor permission. The following table details the types of courses in which drop/add may take place and important timing considerations.

Course Load

New students may enroll in a maximum of two courses simultaneously. After the student’s first two courses are completed and as long as the student maintains satisfactory academic performance and progress, the two course maximum load may be exceeded with the advisor and/or program director’s approval. Satisfactory academic progress is defined as regular weekly participation in a course, submitting an assignment according to posted schedule or for online courses, completing a course unit on average, every 2-3 weeks.

Assignment Submission, Online Courses

All units must be submitted in order to earn a final grade. Students enrolled in self-paced courses, should be completing a course unit every 2-3 weeks. Students must wait for instructor feedback before submitting additional work, in order to incorporate the feedback in the next unit. This practice will improve the quality of the work and promote higher achievement. Submitting multiple units, or out of order units, will delay grading and could impact student performance.

Students cannot submit more than one unit per course at a time. The student may submit the next unit upon receipt of feedback and grade from the previous unit - or - the student may submit the next unit on the 8th day after the original submission in the unlikely event that feedback and grade from the instructor has not been received.

What is a proctor and how do I select one?

A proctor is a person who is approved to administer final examinations to you on behalf of Saint Joseph’s College. The proctor must be qualified to serve in this capacity and agree to abide by the examination procedures and rules. Once approved, the proctor may serve in this capacity throughout your program of study or until circumstances arise that require you to select a new proctor candidate. A new proctor form does not need to be completed with every new course. It is your responsibility to initiate and maintain an ongoing relationship with the proctor. If it is determined that the relationship needs to be terminated, you must find a new proctor candidate.

If you currently do not have a proctor on record, you will need to complete a Proctor Candidate Form, which can be obtained from our website at: online.sjcme.edu/documents/proctorform2010doc_2_.pdf or from your Academic Advisor. This form is to be completed by you and the prospective proctor with all of the necessary information. It is essential that the proctor’s business address be accurate and that the form be signed by the proctor candidate. Return the form to the College as soon as possible. You may assume that your proctor candidate has been approved if you do not hear from the College.

What are the qualifications for a proctor?

A proctor is a person whose academic and/or experiential background indicates to Saint Joseph’s College that he/she has the ability to meet the responsibilities of proctoring an examination. Proctor candidates include the following:

• Academic faculty or advisors
• In-service educators
• Librarians
• Clergy
• Administrative personnel, including those in personnel or human resources offices

The proctor candidate should not be someone whom you have a personal relationship. Unacceptable candidates include the following:

• Friend or family member
• Direct supervisor
• Someone who works under the student’s supervision
• Current or past student of Saint Joseph’s College

If you have any questions, concerns, or problems with the selection of a candidate for proctoring your examination, please call Saint Joseph’s College at 1-800-343-5498 or 1-207-893-7800. The College reserves the rights to require you to select another proctor candidate.

Students’ scholarship rating in each subject is determined by the combined results of examinations and course work. The following system of grading is used by Saint Joseph’s College.

Criteria for Evaluating Student Assignments

The College has prepared a guide to be used by students and faculty for the preparation and evaluation of student assignments. For students, the criteria for reading, reasoning, arguing, documenting, organizing, and writing comprise guidelines for the most effective completion of a given assignment. The guide enables faculty to provide specific evaluation and focused feedback to each student and promotes a consistent approach among faculty in their review of students’ written work. In addition, the criteria may facilitate student-faculty dialog about the strengths and weaknesses of assignments. The guidelines are available in the online Student Handbook: online.sjcme.edu/pdf/Student-Handbook-Jan2011.pdf

Grade Appeal Procedure

Students are encouraged to resolve any discrepancy in the final course grade with the instructor. If resolution is not reached:

1. Students must submit the form for Review of Course Final Grade form and supporting documentation to the appropriate Program Director within 30 days after the date recorded on the student’s grade report. This form can be obtained from an Academic Advisor.
2. The Program Director will render a judgment and inform the parties within 30 days.
3. If the student informs the Program Director within 15 days that the decision is not accepted, a Request for Review and supporting documentation must be submitted to Dean of Continuing Education.
4. Within 15 days the Dean of Continuing Education will render a judgment that is final. The decision is filed and conveyed to the parties.

Students may request evaluation for a possible program change at any time. Requests must be made in writing to the student’s academic advisor who will take the necessary next steps. 

Inactive status subjects students to any new admissions/program requirements instituted by the College since their original enrollment. Inactive students, therefore, are subject to re-evaluation. All delinquent accounts must be settled with the Office of the Treasurer before enrollment in subsequent courses can occur. 

Course Withdrawal

Students must complete the Withdrawal Form, and seek approval from their academic advisor to be withdrawn from course(s) without academic penalty.  If approved, the course withdrawal will result in a grade of “W” which is not computed into the students’ GPA.

Students may request to withdraw from course(s) after the deadline above, with approval from their academic advisor.  If approved, these course(s) withdrawals will result in a failing grade of “WF” which is computed in the students’ GPA.

Ceasing to submit required unit assignments does not constitute an official request for course withdrawal.  Students who do not officially request to withdraw from course(s), and fail to meet the course requirements outlined in the syllabi, will receive a final course grade of “F” at the end of the enrollment period. 

Program Withdrawal 

Students desiring to withdraw from the program must complete the Withdrawal Form request, and send it to their academic advisor for approval. Please refer to the Enrollment Policy to determine Academic Penalty.

Ceasing to submit required unit assignments does not constitute an official request for program withdrawal. Students who do not officially request a withdrawal, and fail to meet the course requirements outlined in the syllabi, will receive a final course grade of “F” at the end of the enrollment period.

Students who do not register for subsequent courses within 15 weeks of their current enrollment end date, will be “withdrawn” from their academic program, effective the date of their last unit submission. Students have up to one year from their current enrollment end date to return to their program of study. After one year, students must re-apply through Admissions. 

Note: Please see the Financial Aid and Deferment of Prior Loans policy for in-school deferment eligibility details pertaining to enrollment.

Involuntary Withdrawal Policy for Active Duty Students

The college will consider a retroactive refund of tuition and fees on a case-by-case basis.

Students may be eligible for a refund under the conditions below; the student must submit the required written notification of withdrawal with sufficient authoritative evidence to document the reason for withdrawal to their Academic Advisor. A decision will be made based upon the documentation and conditions presented.

Specifically, involuntary withdrawal requests, from students who are called to active duty into the armed services, must be substantiated with copies of military orders that show proof of date of entry. The individuals commanding officer or another appropriate official must sign the orders. 

Students may repeat courses taken at Saint Joseph’s College in the event the initial grade for a course is either an”F” or “WF”, or fails to meet the minimum grade required by the student’s academic program of study. Courses may only be repeated once at Saint Joseph’s College and once elsewhere (for a total of three attempts). Nursing students may only repeat nursing classes once. All course attempts will appear on the student’s academic transcript. In such instances, all grades will remain on the student’s transcript, with only the latter grade used in computing the grade point average. In the event a course is repeated to meet a minimum grade requirement, the initial grade(s) will be excluded from the GPA and duplicate credits removed from the cumulative total earned. In all other cases, all grades will remain on the transcript and be used in the grade point average computation. Pursuant to the College’s transfer credit policy, courses repeated at other institutions will not calculate into a student’s grade point average. 

A leave of absence (LOA) is a temporary interruption in a student’s program due to extenuating circumstances. Extenuating circumstances include, but are not limited to: documented medical issues, death of an immediate family member, military deployment, natural disasters and other unforeseen temporary events. Students must be in good academic/disciplinary standing to be considered for a leave of absence.

Matriculating online students may request a leave of absence not to exceed 25 weeks (175 days) from their last date of unit submission. Students will not be granted a leave of absence from a course.

Students must complete the required Request for Leave of Absence form and forward it to their Academic Advisor for processing. Students are required to complete the following information on the form:

• Reason for Request
• Proposed Date of Leave
• Proposed Date of Return
• Date of Request
• Signature of Student 

Requests for a leave of absence are reviewed by the Dean’s Office, whose decision is final. If approved, the effective start date of an LOA is the student’s last date of unit submission. Students who are approved a leave of absence will be assigned a reasonable date of return. Failure to return on the assigned date will result in a withdrawal from the program, effective on the student’s last date of unit submission. Carrying with it the intention of returning to Saint Joseph’s College, a leave of absence guarantees readmission to the College. 

Discontinued class participation and unit submission does not constitute an official leave of absence. Students are still subject to the college’s withdrawal, academic and attendance policies within the catalog.

Students are required to consult with Financial Aid & the Treasurer’s Office to discuss any potential impacts on Title IV funding and billing charges.  Students who have educational loans are encouraged to contact their lenders directly to learn about options and requirements for in-school deferment eligibility.

Note: Students active in the military who are subject to deployment should contact their Academic Advisor to discuss course extensions and leave of absence options.

All members of the Saint Joseph’s College community are expected to adhere to the principles of academic honesty central to the College’s mission. Plagiarism, collusion, falsifying the results of ones research, cheating on examinations and any form of misrepresenting ones own work, or collaborating in the misrepresentation of another’s work, are contrary to the traditions and goals of the institution. Instances of academic dishonesty are subject to disciplinary action and/or academic sanctions.

You are expected to cite any sources upon which your work is based through the use of bibliographical lists, footnotes, end-notes, and the like. All uses made of the content, style conceptualization, organization methods, and factual materials of others, or of other work you may have produced must also be documented.

As an educational institution, our primary goals regarding plagiarism are to help students understand the ethics of information in today’s world and to give them the tools and knowledge they need to remain academically honest. Faculty may use plagiarism detection services, such as Turnitin.com, to help identify potential plagiarism in students written work.

Procedure in Cases of Academic Dishonesty

When a breach of the Academic Honesty Policy is suspected (or determined), the instructor shall contact the student and discuss the details of the charge. Subsequent disciplinary action shall be at the discretion of the instructor. For a minor violation, the instructor shall either:

1. Decide to take no further action, or
2. Require that the student’s work be resubmitted with appropriate changes.
   Beyond a minor violation, the instructor shall either:
   1. Assign a failing grade for the work submitted, or
   2. Assign a failing grade for the course.

When either of these last two options is chosen, then notification, along with supporting documentation, should be sent to the Dean of Continuing Education where a record of the infraction will be kept. Depending on the particulars of the case and/or the student’s prior history of infractions, the Dean may decide to extend the sanction to include:

1. Temporary suspension from the College, or
2. Permanent expulsion from the College.

A student accused of academic dishonesty may appeal his/her case in writing to the Dean of Continuing Education who will then convene the Academic Review Panel. The role of this panel is to evaluate the accusation in light of the circumstances bearing upon the case, and then to advise the Dean. The decision of the Dean shall be final. 

Plagiarism occurs when a person uses the words, ideas, opinions, research, or creative expressions of another as if they were her or his own.

Plagiarism can take many forms. One common type of plagiarism occurs when a person uses another’s words without adding quotation marks around the words and clearly stating the source. The words of another may be used only when both of these conditions are present (quotation marks and clear citation of the source). Not using quotation marks implies that the words are created by the student.

Another common example of plagiarism is when an individual uses another person’s ideas or opinions and expresses them in his or her own words (called paraphrasing) but fails to cite the source. Although in this case, the words may be the student’s, the ideas have been borrowed from another, and that borrowing must be acknowledged.

Plagiarism can involve unacknowledged borrowing from any number of places, including published articles, a classmate’s paper, graphs, charts, the Internet or a video production. To take anything owned by another without proper acknowledgment is theft, and plagiarism is intellectual theft. Plagiarism occurs in research papers through failures of documentation, but it also can happen in class reports, essays, tests, and in any other situation in which a student may use the words or ideas of another.

Plagiarism is a serious violation of academic integrity; it always involves deceit, whether that deceit is intended or not. Ignorance and carelessness sometimes lead to plagiarism, but they are not acceptable excuses. Each individual student has the responsibility to understand and avoid plagiarism. Opportunities to learn about proper use of documentation include English Composition I, II courses and any number of college handbooks or research paper style guides.

The Wellehan Library’s home page, maintains a Ready-Reference page of useful links, including resources for reference citation formats. 

Under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA/Buckley Amendment), Saint Joseph’s College will not disclose “personally identifiable information” from a student’s educational records unless certain conditions are met or the student consents to disclosure. The College may, however, disclose “directory information” from a student’s education records, and the College may designate certain “personally identifiable information” as “directory information.”

The College has designated the following information as “directory information”:

• student’s name, address, telephone listing, and e-mail address
• date and place of birth
• major field of study
• participation in officially recognized activities and sports
• the weight and height of members of athletic teams
• dates of attendance
• degrees and awards received
• the most recent previous educational institution attended.

Students have the right to refuse to let the College designate as “directory information” any “personally identifiable information” such as their name, address, or other information that would make their identity easily traceable. If students do not want the College to disclose any personally identifiable information as directory information, they must notify the Office of Academic Records and Student Advising in writing and state the information they do not want designated as directory information. The College reserves the right to notify College officials and/or family members of formal actions taken regarding student academic and disciplinary matters when appropriate. 

Saint Joseph’s College requires that social security numbers be provided for a permanent and lasting record in accordance with the requirements of federal and state tax laws, certain laws that govern student financial aid, and various institutional policies that it has adopted under provisions of state and federal law that govern institutions of higher education.

Saint Joseph’s College will request that a student provide a social security number at the time of application to the institution. If not entered on the application, Saint Joseph’s College does require that a social security number be provided in advance of being enrolled in a course or courses at the institution.

The social security number will not be used as the student ID number but will be provided to entities requiring a social security number, including but not limited to the federal government for financial aid and Tax Relief Act (1997) reporting, Immigration and Naturalization Service and as required by court order in accordance with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act.

Saint Joseph’s College uses social security numbers for various tax records and filings that are required under state and federal tax law. When possible, an alternative number will be assigned and used by the institution for all purposes, which do not require the social security number. Saint Joseph’s College is dedicated to insuring the privacy and proper handling of confidential information pertaining to students and employees. 

All forms of communications, written, e-mail, telephone, and face-to-face, within the Online Division shall be conducted with a mutual level of respect.  Adherence to the generally accepted norms for human communications, especially avoiding communications that are false or are likely to be considered as discourteous, malicious, unwanted or causing unjustified loss of prestige is asked of all students, faculty, and staff.

Disruptive classroom conduct negatively affects classroom environments as well as the educational experience for all of the students enrolled in the course. The Online Division defines disruptive classroom behavior as “any behavior that a reasonable person would view as substantially or repeatedly interfering with the conduct of a class”. Disruptive classroom behavior will not be allowed. Faculty members have the ability to ask a student to leave a classroom for disruptive behavior; that student will be marked absent for the entire class time.

Students who exhibit disruptive conduct of any type may be put on notice and may be dismissed from the program.