College Policies & Procedures

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The normal load for a matriculating student is four courses to a maximum of 19 credits. The amount of work permitted each term depends upon the courses selected and the scholastic ability of the student. First semester first-year students need approval from the Vice President for Academic Affairs to register for 19 credits or more. Tuition is charged for each credit over 19 credits.

Matriculation Status: Students who have satisfied the admission requirements and are following a prescribed program of studies toward a degree.

First year: Those who have completed fewer than 28 semester hours of college work.

Sophomores: Those who have completed at least 28 semester hours of college work.

Juniors: Those who have completed at least 60 semester hours of college work.

Seniors: Those who have completed at least 96 semester hours of college work.

Unclassified Students: Those who wish to pursue particular studies without following the prescribed courses for a degree. College credits will be given if the student fulfills entrance requirements.

Part-time Students: All students taking fewer than 12 semester hours in any regular term.

Only students who are registered and whose names are on the class list issued by the Office of the Registrar may be admitted to a class.

Students are expected to be present at all their regularly scheduled classes. A student is either in class or is marked absent regardless of the reason for the absence. No excuse for absence is issued by any administrative office. In the event of prolonged illness, accident, or similar emergency, the Office of Academic Affairs should be notified, and the faculty member will be advised.

Each course syllabus shall make a clear statement concerning the course policy for absence and subsequent make-up work. A copy of this syllabus shall be submitted to the Office of Academic Affairs.

When in the judgment of the faculty member a student’s absences threaten to lower the students academic achievement or lead to failure, a written warning may be given to the student by the faculty member. Copies of this warning shall be sent to the Office of Academic Affairs and to the Office of the Registrar. Students in danger of failing should be advised to make an appointment with their faculty advisor, the Registrar, or with the Office of Academic Affairs for counseling and guidance.

If the pattern of unsatisfactory work caused by absence continues despite this warning, the faculty member may recommend to the Vice President for Academic Affairs that the student be withdrawn from the course with the grade of WF. If approved, the WF grade will be entered on the students official transcript and is so computed.

If a faculty member is late to class, students are required to wait 10 minutes. If at the end of that period, the faculty member has not arrived, the students present must sign their names on a record sheet and give it to the Office of Academic Affairs.

In unusual circumstances which necessitate the closing of Saint Joseph’s College, the Vice President for Academic Affairs is responsible for making the determination and notifying area radio/television stations by 6:00 A.M. of the cancellation of classes. Faculty and students may call the school and class cancellation number (207-893-3333) to get information on individual classes and/or school cancellation. In instances of hazardous weather, faculty and students should use discretion in the decision to commute during such conditions.

Students are responsible for providing their own transportation for any off-campus course-related experiences, e.g., internships, clinical experiences for nursing students, field experience or student teaching for the education students, and field experience for business, sociology, and communications students.

From the first day of the term through the second Friday, students may add or drop courses. This is referred to as the “Add/Drop Period.” The dates are published yearly in the Academic Calendar. Adding or dropping courses require approvals from the students’ academic advisors and the teachers of the courses being added or dropped. These approvals must be signatures on Add/Drop Forms available from the Office of the Registrar. For courses dropped during the Add/Drop Period, no notations will appear on student permanent academic records. After the Add/Drop Period, and through the seventh week of the term, no courses may be added. However, students with required approvals may withdraw from courses and receive grades of “W,” which are not computed into student GPAs. After the seventh week of the term, students may withdraw from courses with the required approvals, but these withdrawals will result in failing grades of “WF,” which are computed in the students GPA.

Students who register to audit a course receive no credit for the course but have Audit recorded on their transcripts. Audit status will not be assigned once the term begins.

A final examination is ordinarily given for each course during the final exam days scheduled by the college. Students shall take final examinations as scheduled except for the following situations.

• Final examinations and other class-related activities are not to be scheduled on Reading Day.
   
• Students who have three or more final examinations on one day may choose to take the middle examination at an alternate time mutually acceptable to the student and the faculty member. Students who wish to do this must consult the appropriate faculty member as soon as possible, but no later than two weeks before the last scheduled class.
   
• Students who have a serious illness or personal emergency should call the Office for Academic Affairs as soon as possible to discuss the situation. If the final examination may be missed, the Office of the Vice President for Academic Affairs will consult with the appropriate faculty member. If the request is approved, the student should then contact the faculty member as soon as feasible to schedule the final examination at a mutually acceptable time.

Transportation or vacation issues are not considered valid reasons to alter the final examination period.

The following system of grading is used by Saint Joseph’s College:

Letter Grade		Quality Points		Numerical Equivalent
A		4.0		93-100
A-		3.7		90-92
B+		3.3		88-89
B		3.0		83-87
B-		2.7		80-82
C+		2.3		78-79
C		2.0		73-77
C-		1.7		70-72
D+		1.3		68-69
D		1.0		63-67
D-		.7		60-62
F		0		Below 60
F		Failure. This grade is calculated into the GPA.
I		Incomplete. An I that is not removed six weeks after the examination period becomes an F.
W		Withdrew from class within period of no penalty.
WF		Withdrew from class after last day to withdraw without penalty. This WF is calculated into the GPA.

At midterm, the faculty member advises students who are failing or in danger of failing.

A		Excellent. Superior command of subject matter and performance in course requirements (e.g. examinations, written assignments, projects, oral presentations, class participation).
B		Good. Above average command of subject matter and performance in course requirements.
C		Satisfactory. Average command of subject matter and performance in course requirements.
D		Low passing. Marginal command of subject matter and performance in course requirements.
F		Failing. Insufficient command of subject matter and performance of course requirements.

Some departments may set minimum passing grade standards that are higher than D.

Incomplete grades are generally given only in cases of illness or emergency. It is the responsibility of the student to request an incomplete course grade from the faculty member teaching the course. Forms may be obtained from the Office of Academic Affairs. A request for an incomplete grade form signed by the faculty member, the student, and the Office of Academic Affairs must be submitted to the Office of the Registrar in order for an “I” grade to be assigned. A grade of Incomplete reflects an agreed upon course of action between a faculty member and a student to complete the course within the designated time frame. Course work must be completed six weeks from the last day of class. If course work is not completed within this time, a grade of F will automatically be assigned. Under special circumstances, students may petition the Office of Academic Affairs to extend the time limit in which course work may be completed.

For May Semester courses, incomplete grades are not issued unless:

1. Illness or an emergency prevent a student from completing a course, and
    
2. The student has attended a minimum of 80% of the class meetings (15 meetings require attendance in 12), and
    
3. The faculty member approves the “incomplete” in cases where the student has completed sufficient work and demonstrated sufficient subject matter mastery, to proceed independently with the remaining 20% or less of work. Approval is also required from the Office of Academic Affairs.

The number of quality points earned in a subject is determined by multiplying the point value of the grade earned by the number of semester hours of credit.

The total number of quality points earned in a term divided by the total number of credits in which a student is enrolled yields the grade point average.

This value is calculated by dividing the total quality points earned by the total credits taken. Both quality points and credits must be taken through the College to be used in this calculation. If a student receives a failing grade in a course at the College and retakes that course at another institution, neither grade counts in calculating the cumulative grade point average.

The cumulative grade point average determines the academic standing of the student at every point.

Grade reports are mailed to all students at their home addresses approximately two weeks after the end of each term unless a student requests to the contrary. Final grades cannot be procured in advance from the Office of the Registrar. Grade reports will not be sent unless all accounts are paid in full in the Treasurer’s Office.

When a student thinks there is a discrepancy between the grade earned and the grade received in a course, the student is encouraged to seek an acceptable resolution through a discussion with the faculty member of the course as soon as possible. Any change in grade is to be submitted by the faculty member in writing to the Office of Academic Affairs.

If a satisfactory resolution is not reached, a student may initiate a formal appeal by taking the following steps:

1. The Student Request for Review of Grade form is available in the Office of Academic Affairs. The student must submit this form in writing to the Office of Academic Affairs with all supporting documentation which includes, but is not limited to, the course syllabus and all graded assignments no later than 15 calendar days after the first official day of classes in the semester following the one in which the grade was received.
    
2. The Vice President for Academic Affairs will forward the appeal to the faculty member for evaluation.
    
3. If a satisfactory resolution is not reached, the Vice President for Academic Affairs will convene the Academic Review Committee. It consists of three members of the faculty, one of whom is a member of the Educational Standards Committee.
    
4. The recommendation of the Academic Review Committee is submitted to the Vice President for Academic Affairs who then files the final decision with the Registrar.

Students may repeat courses taken at Saint Joseph’s College. Both courses will appear on the students academic transcript. In courses with grades received of “F” or “WF,” or when the grade does not meet a published departmental or College requirement, a recommendation to repeat must be given by the department chair or advisor. In such instances both grades will remain on the students transcript, with only the latter grade used in computing the grade point average. In all other cases both grades will remain on the transcript and be used in the grade point average computation.

Independent study is designed to enable a student with demonstrated proficiency to work individually on a project or a reading program. One to four credits may be earned by independent study. Such a program should be carefully worked out by the student in consultation with the faculty member under whose direction it is to be carried out. The Independent Study Form must be completed and the project plan must be approved with signatures from the supervising faculty member, the department chair, and the Office of Academic Affairs. A 3.0 (B) overall average is required for admission to independent study.

After careful advisement, students registered in the 4-Year College may enroll in one (1) Faculty-Directed Independent Study course each semester through the Division of Graduate & Professional Studies under the following conditions:

• faculty advisor must verify that the student has junior or senior standing and a GPA of at least 2.5;
   
• student has demonstrated proficiency to work independently;
   
• students must complete course requirements within the on-campus semester as follows:

  Fall Semester: September 1 through November 30

  Spring Semester: January 1 through April 30 (Graduating seniors: Final grades need to be posted by April 30)

  Summer Semester: May 1 through July 30

• students submit one assignment at a time and wait to receive feedback from the faculty member on a submitted assignment before submitting the next assignment.

It is the students responsibility to contact the Division of Graduate & Professional Studies for course enrollment materials. The Faculty-Directed Independent Study Contract for Graduate & Professional Studies must be completed and signed by the department chair/ faculty advisor.

To order a Saint Joseph’s College transcript, a student must submit a written request directly to the Office of the Registrar with the following information: full name at the time of attendance; dates of attendance; social security number; current mailing address; and the address of the recipient. The request letter should be signed and dated. The fee is $5 per transcript. Please make the check payable to Saint Joseph’s College. Transcripts are available to students provided there are no outstanding debts in the students name.

Transfer students must maintain a cumulative average of 2.0 or above for course work in the baccalaureate program and must earn at least 32 semester hours at the College.

Full-time matriculated students are in good academic standing and making satisfactory progress in their degree program when they meet or exceed the cumulative credit and grade point averages listed below. The benchmarks are listed for the end of the academic year.

At Completion of Year of Attendance		Class Level		Minimum Cumulative Earned Credits		Minimum Cumulative Required Grade Point Average Required
1		First-Year		28		1.75
2		Sophomore		60		2.0
3		Junior		96		2.0
4		Senior		128		2.0

Students incur academic probation when their cumulative grade point average falls below the acceptable minimum standard:

• for first term of first year - 1.50;
   
• for second term of first year - 1.75;
   
• for first term of second year - 1.85;
   
• for second term of second year and for each succeeding term - 2.0.

Probation is a warning and an opportunity to improve.

A student in a 4-Year College program who has been on probation for two terms and shows no substantial sign of improvement is subject to academic dismissal from the College. If the students progress at another institution indicates promise of future success at Saint Joseph’s College, the student may apply for readmission.

A student who fails three courses in any one of their second or subsequent terms at the College is also subject to academic dismissal from the College unless the cumulative grade point average was 2.5 or better prior to the semester in which the three courses were failed. In this instance the student may request to remain at the College but will be restricted to twelve credit hours for the next term. Other conditions may also be imposed by the Vice President for Academic Affairs.

A senior student who fails three courses and has a cumulative grade point average of less than 2.5 may be allowed under certain circumstances to continue a program of study subject to conditions determined by the Vice President for Academic Affairs.

Leaves of absence for one or two semesters are granted to students in good academic and disciplinary standing, who determine that circumstances necessitate a temporary interruption of their college careers. Authorization for such an absence is granted by the Vice President for Academic Affairs, upon receipt of the students written notification of intent. Carrying with it the intention of returning to Saint Joseph’s College, a leave of absence guarantees readmission to the College.

Students on leave of absence may, with approval of the Office of Academic Affairs, take courses for transfer credit at other accredited institutions of higher learning.

Students are allowed to withdraw from the College and receive 100% remission of tuition and fees and a prorated refund of room and board charges (less any financial aid which the students may have earned for the term) upon presenting an original copy of their orders to the Registrar. Alternatively, incomplete (I) grades in all classes, with no tuition and fee reimbursement, may be more appropriate when the possible withdrawal is after the last day for withdrawal and Incompletes are agreed to by the faculty member(s) and the student, and approved by the Office of the Registrar. However, if the student chooses to withdraw from only a portion of his/her classes and receives Incompletes in the remaining classes, he/she would be charged at the prevailing part-time tuition and fee rates if the remaining credit hours are fewer than 12. If the student is an aid recipient and his/her enrollment status changes, e.g., from full-time to part-time, eligibility for aid will be recalculated. In either of these alternative cases, the student will receive a prorated refund of room and board charges and be allowed to complete the coursework according to the established policies of the College and the agreement with the faculty member(s) involved.

All members of the Saint Joseph’s College community are expected to adhere to the principles of academic honesty central to the Colleges 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 anothers work, are contrary to the traditions and goals of the institution. Instances of academic dishonesty are subject to disciplinary action and/or academic sanctions.

Students are expected to cite any sources upon which their work is based, through the use of bibliographical lists, footnotes, endnotes, and the like, and to document all uses made of the content, style, conceptualization, organization methods, and factual material of others, or of other work produced by the student. The Statement on Plagiarism is available in the Office of Academic Affairs.

Procedure in Cases of Academic Dishonesty

When a breach of the Academic Honesty Policy is suspected (or determined), the faculty member shall contact the student and discuss the details of the charge. Subsequent disciplinary action shall be at the discretion of the faculty member.

For a minor violation, the faculty member shall either:

1. decide to take no further action, or
    
2. require that the students work be resubmitted with appropriate changes, or
    
3. lower the grade for work submitted.
   
   Beyond a minor offense, the faculty member shall either:
    
4. assign a failing grade for the work submitted, or
5. 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 Office of Academic Affairs, where a record of the infraction will be kept. Depending on the particulars of the case and/or the students prior history of infractions, the Vice President for Academic Affairs 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 Vice President for Academic Affairs, 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 Vice President for Academic Affairs. The decision of the Vice President for Academic Affairs shall be final.

Plagiarism

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 anothers 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 the students.

Another common example of plagiarism is when an individual uses another persons 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 students, 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 classmates paper, graphs, charts, the Internet, or a video production. To take anything owned by another without proper acknowledgement 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 the first-year course College Writing and any number of college handbooks.

The College reserves the right to change the course and credit hour requirements of any or all academic programs when such modifications are deemed necessary. All students must comply with the new requirements insofar as such modifications pertain to courses and/or credit hours yet to be completed.

The College reserves the right to dismiss a student when the quality of scholarship does not meet the required standards or when the students conduct is contrary to the purposes and ideals of the College. Students dismissed for disciplinary reasons are not allowed to make up graded work.

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) affords students certain rights with respect to their education records. These rights include:

1. The right to inspect and review the students education records within 45 days of the day the College receives a request for access. Students should submit to the Registrar written requests that identify the record(s) they wish to inspect. The Registrar will make arrangements for access and notify the student of the time and place where the records may be inspected.
    
2. The right to request the amendment of the students education records that the student believes is inaccurate. Students may ask the College to amend a record that they believe is inaccurate. They should write the Registrar and clearly identify the part of the record they want changed, and specify why it is inaccurate. If the College decides not to amend the record as requested by the student, the College will notify the student of the decision and advise the student of his or her right to a hearing regarding the request for amendment. Additional information regarding the hearing procedures will be provided to the student when notified of the right to a hearing.
    
3. The right to consent to disclosures of personally identifiable information contained in the students education records, except to the extent that FERPA authorizes disclosure without consent.
   
   One exception, which permits disclosure without consent, is disclosure to school officials with legitimate educational interests. A school official is a person employed by the College in an administrative, supervisory, academic or research, or support staff position (including law enforcement unit personnel and health staff); a person or company with whom the College has contracted (such as an attorney, auditor, or collection agent); a person serving on the Board of Trustees; or a student serving on an official committee, such as a disciplinary or grievance committee, or assisting another school official in performing his or her tasks.
   
   A school official has a legitimate educational interest if the official needs to review an education record in order to fulfill his or her professional responsibility.
   
   The College may disclose appropriately designated directory information without written consent, unless you have advised the Registrar of your request not to have directory information released without your consent. This is accomplished by submitting an Access to Student Records form to the Registrar. The following data has been designated as Directory Information at the College:
   
   
   • the students 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 receivedthe most recent previous educational institution attended.
4. The right to file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education concerning alleged failures by the College to comply with the requirements of FERPA. The name and address of the Office that administers FERPA is:
   
   Family Policy Compliance Office
   U.S. Department of Education
   400 Maryland Avenue, SW
   Washington, DC 20202-4605

Purpose

The primary objective of the grievance procedure is to insure that student concerns are promptly addressed, and that resolutions are reached in a fair and just manner. As such, any student at Saint Joseph’s College may file a grievance through this procedure.

Definitions

A grievance is defined as dissatisfaction occurring when a student believes that any decision, act, or condition affecting him or her is illegal, unjust, or creates unnecessary hardship. Such grievances may concern, but are not limited to, the following: academic problems; wrongful assessment of fees; records and registration errors; and discrimination because of race, national origin, sex, marital status, religion, age, or disability. Complaints covered by policies already in place (i.e., Sexual Harassment, Grade Issues, Financial Aid, Student Code of Conduct, Athletic Eligibility, etc.) are excluded from this policy.

Grievance Procedure

Prior to invoking the procedures described below, the student is strongly encouraged to discuss his or her grievance with the person(s) alleged to have caused the grievance. The discussion should be held as soon as the student first becomes aware of the act or condition that is the basis of the grievance.

Additionally, the student may choose to present his or her grievance in writing to the person(s) alleged to have caused the grievance. The person alleged to have caused the grievance must respond to the student either orally or in writing. Student grievances that are filed with the person alleged to have caused the grievance after more than ten (10) working days from the initial incident will not be accepted and are deemed to be waived. Please note that the College recognizes that there may be situations that do not fit within the ten-day time frame.

Regarding an academic concern, if a student elects to bypass the above or is dissatisfied with the response, the student is encouraged to seek counsel from the department chair in which the course resides. If the student is still dissatisfied he/she may present the grievance in writing to the Vice President for Academic Affairs within ten (10) working days of the incident or of the initial response.

The Dean of Student Life should be presented with all non-academic concerns within ten (10) working days of the incident or of the initial response.

The respective Vice President(s) will conduct a review of the written statement to resolve any factual disputes. The Vice President(s) may appoint a member of the college community to review the situation in greater detail. A response should be given to the student within ten (10) working days from the date the written grievance was received. If the disposition extends beyond the ten (10) working days, the Vice President should inform the student of the delay and the expected response date.

Regardless of the situation, no member of the College community may harass or retaliate against a student who has filed a grievance under the College grievance procedure.

In the event that a grievance is filed against a Vice President, the grievance should be submitted to the President of the College.

Saint Joseph’s College is committed to maintaining a humane atmosphere in which individuals do not abuse their personal power or authority in interpersonal relationships. More specifically, the faculty, administration, staff and students of Saint Joseph’s College will not condone actions and/or words which a reasonable person would regard as either gender or racial discrimination, or sexual harassment.

With the permission of the faculty advisor/chair and the Office of the Registrar, a student may take a course at another accredited institution during the summer in order to make up a course missed, provided the content of the course is deemed to be equivalent to that offered at Saint Joseph’s. A grade of C or above must be achieved. Only the credits, not the grade, are transferred.

Graduation with Distinction

Graduating seniors are cited for graduation honors on their transcript and diploma. Students with at least 63 credit hours earned at Saint Joseph’s College who have achieved a cumulative index of 3.90-4.0 graduate summa cum laude; those with a cumulative index of 3.70-3.89 graduate magna cum laude; and those with a cumulative index of 3.50-3.69 graduate cum laude. Students who have earned between 54 and 62 credit hours at Saint Joseph’s College and who have achieved a cumulative index of at least 3.50 graduate cum laude. The cumulative index for the purpose of graduation with distinction is based on the students record at Saint Joseph’s College.

The valedictorian of the class is ordinarily the senior who has attended Saint Joseph’s College for eight (8) consecutive semesters and has earned at least 128 credits at Saint Joseph’s College, with the highest cumulative index based on the first seven (7) semesters grades.

Deans List

A student in good standing at the end of the term who has attained an average of 3.5 or better and has completed successfully all courses for which the student is registered with no grade less than a B- is placed on the Deans List. The student must have been carrying a course load of 14 credits minimum.

Honors List

A student in good standing at the end of the term who has attained an average of 3.0 or better is placed on the Honors List. The student must have been carrying a course load of 14 credits minimum.

Honor Societies

Delta Epsilon Sigma, a national scholastic honor society for students of Catholic colleges and universities, has been represented at Saint Joseph’s College since 1950 by the Beta Omicron Chapter. Membership in Delta Epsilon Sigma is based on leadership, service, superior achievement in the students academic program, 3.5 average or better, and the students indications of future creditable use of that achievement in bringing the principles of a sound Christian philosophy to bear effectively upon the problems of a modern free society.

Sigma Theta Tau International is the honor society of nursing and exists to promote the development, dissemination and utilization of nursing knowledge. Sigma Theta Tau is committed to improving the health of people worldwide through increasing the scientific base of nursing practice. In support of this mission, the society advances nursing leadership and scholarship, and furthers the utilization of nursing research in health care delivery as well as in public policy.

The Kappa Zeta Chapter-at-large of Sigma Theta Tau was chartered at Saint Joseph’s College in April 1988. To be eligible for membership, undergraduate Nursing students must have at least a 3.0 GPA and be in the top 15% of the junior class or top 35% of the senior class.