Academic Policy

Academic Policies, Students Rights and Responsibilities

(The following information has been excerpted from the SUNY Ulster Catalog. If you wish to view the complete catalog, click here.

Table of Contents

Academic Information, Procedures, and Regulations

Academic Standards and Progress

Academic Standards
The College provides the highest quality of instruction, expects learning to reach the highest appropriate level, and maintains a high standard of academic performance in the classroom. Students whose performance does not meet the standards set by the College will be required to improve their performance or be withdrawn from the College. Students are assumed by the College to be mature and responsible and are expected to apply themselves to the utmost in academic endeavors. Furthermore, the College expects students to have a knowledge of the information presented in this Catalog and other College publications.

Academic Progress
It is the student’s responsibility to be aware at all times of the quality of his or her individual academic work and to maintain satisfactory progress toward completion of the requirements established for the curricular program under which the student is enrolled. At the close of each semester, the student receives a final grade report. During the semester, if a student is in doubt concerning the quality of his or her work or realizes the work is unsatisfactory, the student should request a conference with the instructor or instructors concerned. During such conferences, the instructor informs the student of the quality of individual work and seeks to help the student improve academically. There are many services to help assure student success. See pages

Grading and Quality Point System
Grades are issued at the end of each semester. The College uses an alphabetical system to describe the quality of the student's work in each course. To determine a student’s academic standing for purposes of honors, graduation, probation, and dismissal, a quality point system is used.

Grades and their numerical values are:
 
Grade
Quality PointsPer Credit
Highest Achievement
A
4.00
 
A-
3.67
General Achievement of High Order
B+
3.33
 
B
3.00
 
B-
2.67
Acceptable Achievement
C+
2.33
 
C
2.00
 
C-
1.67
Less than Satisfactory Achievement
D+
1.33
 
D
1.00
 
D-
0.67
Failure
F
0.00
Withdrawal
W
-
Incomplete
I
-
Satisfactory
S
-
Unsatisfactory
U
-
Audit
AU
-

The semester and cumulative averages are computed by dividing the number of quality points earned by the number of semester hours of credit attempted. Example: A student who attempts 15 credits and earns a total of 30 quality points would have a grade-point average of 2.0.

A, A- Indicates highest achievement. It involves conspicuous excellence in several aspects of the work.
B+, B, B- Indicates general achievement of a high order. It also involves excellence in some aspects of the work, such as the following:
  • completeness and accuracy of knowledge,
  • sustained and effective use of knowledge,
  • independence of work,
  • originality.
C+, C, C- Indicates the acceptable standard for graduation from Ulster County Community College. It involves in each course such work as may fairly be expected of any SUNY Ulster student of normal ability who gives to the course a reasonable amount of time, effort, and attention. Such acceptable attainment should include the following factors:
  • Familiarity with the content of the course;
  • Familiarity with the methods of study of the course;
  • Evidence of growth in actual use both of content and method;
  • Full participation in the work of the course;
  • Evidence of an open, active, and discriminating mind,
  • and ability to express oneself in intelligible English.
D+, D, D- Indicates degrees of unsatisfactory work, below standard grade. It signifies work that in one or more respects falls below the minimum acceptable standard for graduation, but which is of sufficient quality and quantity to be counted in the units required for graduation (unless a department specifically requires a higher grade for a particular course).
F Failure. May not be counted toward the degree.
W Withdrawal. Grade issued when a student officially withdraws from a course during the first two-thirds of the time period of the course. Grades of W are not calculated in the grade-point average. If a student withdraws during the last one-third of the course, the student may receive a grade of F. Instructors should award the grade of W during the last third of the course only for verified special circumstances, such as death in the family, hospitalization, transfer from the area, or prolonged illness, with the approval of the Vice President and Dean for Academic and Student Affairs.
I Incomplete. A temporary grade given in cases when the student is unable to complete the semester’s work or the final examination because of illness or other circumstances beyond his or her control. The student must present valid reasons for the work missed and must arrange with the instructor to make up the work within four weeks after the end of the semester in which the incomplete grade is received; otherwise, the I automatically becomes an F. Students should initiate the request for incomplete grades.
S Satisfactory. Grade used when the student successfully completes a course with the satisfactory/unsatisfactory option. The grade is not calculated in the student’s average; however, course credits can be used to meet graduation requirements.
U Unsatisfactory. Grade used to indicate unsatisfactory performance in the satisfactory/unsatisfactory option. The grade is not calculated in the student’s average.

A student may choose to take two elective courses, assigned or nonassigned, outside a major area of study on a satisfactory / unsatisfactory basis while fulfilling curriculum requirements (during an entire stay) at Ulster County Community College. A student must select this option and formally notify the Registrar's Office within the first one-fifth of the course. A satisfactory grade carries credit but no grade average, and the credit is not counted in computing the grade-point average. An unsatisfactory grade carries no credit and is not counted in computing the grade-point average.

In accordance with the established grading system, a satisfactory grade would range from A-D. This policy does not apply to those courses offered only on a satisfactory / unsatisfactory basis.

AU
 Audit grade. Grade issued when a student has satisfactorily audited a course according to the instructor's requirements. No credit is awarded for an audit grade, and the grade is not calculated in the student's average. The course may not be used for graduation purposes and is not transferable.

The audit privilege at Ulster County Community College is primarily designed for adults in the community who are interested in continuing their education by pursuing college- credit courses but who are not concerned with credit or grades. It also provides opportunity for full-time students to enrich their academic experiences.

A student who audits will receive an audit notation on the transcript upon the direction of the instructor of the course. Auditors are encouraged to observe attendance regulations of the College and to participate in class to the extent deemed reasonable and necessary by the instructor in order to receive the audit notation.

Procedures for Auditing:

  1. Information and materials for auditing may be obtained
    from the Registrar's Office.
  2. Permission to audit must be obtained before registering. An audit student registers for a course in the same manner as prescribed for credit students.
  3. Fees and tuition rates for auditing are the same as those established in the fee schedule for credit courses.

Audit Regulations:

  1. Permission to audit a course must be obtained from the course instructor.
  2. Full-time students may not audit more than one course each semester.
  3. A change from audit to credit status will be permitted only during the first week of classes.
  4. A change from credit to audit status will be permitted with the consent of the instructor. The deadline for this change is no later than two-thirds of the time period during which the course is offered.
  5. A full-time student will not be permitted to audit any course more than once except by official approval. If a student is allowed to audit a particular course more than once, the student will not be permitted to take the course at a later time for credit.
  6. Adults age 60 and older who are residents of Ulster County may audit credit courses without paying tuition. The only provision is that there be space available in the course after other students have registered. Participants must pay the mandatory accident insurance fee and any other fees associated with the course. Participants may register on the first day of classes each semester.
  7. In order to receive an audit grade, the student must complete the course to the instructor's satisfaction. A student not satisfactorily completing a course being audited will be given a W.

Grades followed by # are awarded in developmental courses, which carry no college credit. They are not calculated in the student's average. Grades followed by > indicate that the courses were removed from calculation in the student's average under "Program Change" or "Fresh Start" policies. The "Fresh Start" policy was implemented in September 1991.

Dean’s List for Full-Time Students
Excellence in scholastic achievement at SUNY Ulster is recognized each semester by the compilation of a Dean's List. Full-time, formally matriculated students who complete 12 semester hours of credit-bearing courses, who achieve a semester grade-point average of at least 3.3 with no I or F grades, and whose cumulative grade-point average is at least 2.0, qualify for the Dean's List. The List is distributed to local media, and students receive a letter from the Vice President and Dean for Academic and Student Affairs honoring this achievement.

Dean's List for Part-Time Students
Part-time students become eligible for the Dean's List provided:

Part-time students are reviewed for eligibility in units of 12 or more credits. Once checked, students must accumulate an additional 12 credits to be eligible for the next review. Students who register as full-time students but drop to part-time status after the census date are not eligible for the Part-Time Students' Dean's List.

This list is distributed to local media, and students receive a letter from the Vice President and Dean for Academic and Student Affairs honoring their achievement.

Probation and Dismissal Policy for Matriculated Students

Students are expected to remain in satisfactory academic standing. The phrase "satisfactory academic standing" means that the student has maintained an acceptable gradepoint average (GPA) for course work at SUNY Ulster:

Semester Hours of Credit Attempted
Satisfactory GPA
0-24
1.5
25-36
1.7
37-54
1.9
55+
2.0

A matriculated student who fails to maintain a satisfactory GPA is subject to academic probation or dismissal. In addition, a student who has a total of six or more W's (excluding those from Summer Sessions) may be subject to academic probation or dismissal review.

Academic probation, including any accompanying restraints upon the student's activities, is intended to encourage greater effort by the student who appears to be having difficulty meeting academic standards. Probation lists are compiled at the end of the Fall and Spring semesters and applied to the student's academic standing for the next semester(s). A student on probation who does not achieve the minimum acceptable GPA by the end of the next Spring or Fall semester will be subject to dismissal review by the Academic Review Committee.

The progress of part-time matriculated students will be reviewed in units of six credits or more. A part-time student placed on probation for two consecutive semesters (excluding Summer Sessions) will be subject to dismissal review by the Academic Review Committee.

Academic dismissal means that the student has lost matriculated status at the College and must petition for reinstatement.

A student who has been dismissed and who believes that an error has been made or extenuating circumstances exist has the right of appeal. A student who is currently enrolled will be permitted to continue attending classes until a decision is made on the appeal. A student appeals for reinstatement by following these steps:

  1. The appeal must be made in accordance with the instructions in the letter of dismissal.
  2. A written appeal for reinstatement must be submitted to the Associate Dean for Counseling and Student Services.
  3. This appeal may be supported by written recommendation(s) from any faculty member wishing to support the appeal.
  4. The appeal will be reviewed by the Associate Dean for Counseling and Student Services and forwarded to the Academic Review Committee for consideration and decision.
  5. The student will be notified in writing of the Academic Review Committee's decision.

If dismissal is not appealed or the appeal is denied, the student may then petition for reinstatement after the lapse of one Spring or Fall semester. The procedure for petition and reinstatement is as follows:

  1. The student will submit to the Associate Dean for Counseling and Student Services a written petition for reinstatement. This petition must include evidence that the student is ready to resume a program of study successfully.
  2. The Associate Dean for Counseling and Student Services will compile all relevant documents and submit them to the Academic Review Committee.
  3. The decision and recommendations of the Academic Review Committee will be given in writing to the Associate Dean for Counseling and Student Services. The Associate Dean will advise the student in writing of the Committee's decision and recommendations.

Status of Students on Probation
Any student who is entering a second consecutive semester on probation or who has been reinstated and is still on probation may not take more credits than are specified for the student's program in the College Catalog. Further credit restrictions may be imposed by the Academic Review Committee. The student will also be restricted from holding a club or Student Government office, from assuming the editorship of a College publication, and from participating in intercollegiate athletics until such time as the student is removed from probationary status.

Academic Advising
After matriculated students, both full- and part-time, have registered for the first time in a program of study, they are assigned a permanent academic advisor. Students should consult with their advisors on career and educational plans, transfer possibilities, and concerns about academic difficulties. Before the end of each semester, students should arrange to meet with their advisors to plan the next semester's schedule of courses. Students may find out who their advisor is by asking the secretary of the department in which their program is located or by inquiring in the Registrar's Office.

General Education
General Education at Ulster County Community College defines a set of common learning goals for all students in all curricula. It provides every student with the skills and knowledge essential for continuing intellectual development beyond his or her college experience and creates a learning environment sensitive to the needs of the student, the community, and society. General Education endeavors to equip students with the intellectual skills needed for them to perform as productive workers and leaders in their chosen fields and as effective and ethical citizens in a democratic society.

The Learning Goals of General Education at SUNY Ulster are detailed on pages 59-60 in the Instructional Programs section of this Catalog.

Graduation Information

Requirements
Students are responsible for applying at the Registrar's Office for graduation. Students who are determined eligible for graduation by the College shall be awarded the appropriate degree, certificate, or diploma for their program. Responsibility for meeting the requirements for a degree, certificate, or diploma rests with the student. In order to be graduated, a student must meet the following requirements :

Degrees, certificates, and diplomas are conferred three times each academic year: fall, spring, and summer. Commencement exercises are held each spring. All eligible students—that is, those who have completed all their coursework before the date of the Commencement exercise —are urged to attend. It is the student's responsibility to make a formal application for a degree, certificate, or diploma in the Registrar's Office. There is a fee for rental of academic regalia and other ceremonial costs. If the student does not attend the formal graduation, a diploma will be issued by mail. Students may purchase a diploma cover at the College bookstore.

Applications for Spring semester graduation should be filed early in the semester, no later than March 1. Fall graduation should be filed no later than November 1, and Summer graduation by July 1. Before submitting the application, prospective graduates should meet with their advisors to go over their College records to ensure completion of graduation requirements. Students should do this when they register for the final semester of study at SUNY Ulster, as it may be several weeks into the semester before the Registrar's Office reviews graduation applications; by then it may be too late to add courses if students have unfulfilled course requirements.

Course Waivers and Substitutions
Students need the recommendation of a faculty advisor for all waivers and substitution of courses from prescribed curricula. After the advisor has recommended the change, it must go to the appropriate department chair and then to the Vice President and Dean for Academic and Student Affairs for final approval. This should be done before students register for the semester in which they plan to be graduated.

Graduation with Distinction
To be graduated with distinction, students must have a cumulative grade-point average of 3.3. A notation of "W. Distinction" will then appear on the student's transcript.

Graduation from Honors Studies
Graduates who have participated in Honors Studies will receive appropriate Honors Studies recognition on their transcripts and by certificate.

Transcript Requests
Requests for official transcripts to be sent to other agencies or schools must be made in writing by the student. Transcript request forms are available in the Registrar's Office, or the student may go to transcripts or write to the Registrar's Office. The letter should include the student's name, current address, phone number, date of last attendance, any name change, student's social security number, and the name and address where the transcript is to be sent. No transcripts will be sent for students who have outstanding debts to the College (financial obligations, library books, traffic violations, equipment, and so forth) until the student clears these debts with the appropriate office. Approximately two weeks after grades are submitted, transcripts are processed.

Students with Financial or Other Obligations to the College
Students who have completed their academic requirements but who have outstanding financial or other obligations to the College will be graduated. The diploma, however, will be held and no transcript or certification of graduation will be released until financial or other obligations are cleared .

Each semester, students receive a copy of their actual transcript as a grade report which includes the entire academic record, as long as there are no outstanding debts to the College.

Other Academic Information

Course Levels
A student generally is not permitted to take a course if the student has taken and successfully completed a higherlevel course in the same discipline.

Final Examinations
There is an end-of-semester examination for all students at the College. This can take the form of a final examination; a unit examination; a term project; or a final evaluation of projects, papers, or performances completed by students. Within the first two weeks of classes, the individual instructor will inform students of the method to be used.

Minimum Competency in Writing
Each student enrolled in ENG 101 College English I must take and pass a writing competency test administered during final examination week. Usually this test will ask the student to create a writing sample, an essay of about four hundred words. A panel of instructors evaluates the papers. Students who pass the test will be awarded the grade they earned during the semester. Students who fail this test will automatically fail the course.

Repeat Course Policy
When a course is repeated, only the last grade (A-F) will count in the grade-point average, even if the last grade is lower than the grade(s) received on the previous attempt(s). No repeated courses or their grades, however, will be removed from the student's transcript. Repeating a course may affect a student's financial aid status. This policy does not apply to courses which, because of their varied content, have been designated as courses that may be repeated for credit.

Drop and Add Course Period
Full-time and part-time students will be allowed to make changes during the first five days of classes. The times are announced in the Schedule of Courses bulletin. Students must obtain a Drop/Add form from the Registrar's Office. Changes in which a different course is selected must have the approval of the student's advisor.

Change of Address
Students who change their legal or mailing address should notify the Registrar's Office immediately so that records may be corrected in conformity with the law.

Change in Curriculum
If a matriculated student (one formally enrolled in a degree, certificate, or diploma program) wishes to change a major area of study, the student must complete a Change of Curriculum form. A formal change of program requires the signature of the student's academic advisor and of the department chairpersons of the areas of study the student desires to leave and to enter, respectively. Forms are available at the Registrar's Office. General Education requirements will not be waived for a student changing curriculum.

Second Degree Policy
To earn a second degree at SUNY Ulster, a student must successfully complete a minimum of 15 credits, in residence, beyond those earned for the first degree. These 15 credits must be in a diff rent field of study and must, when combined with the other credits, fulfill the requirements of the second degree. Intermediate Studies courses may not be included in the 15 credit-bearing residency requirement.

Transcript Re-evaluation
The student who changes from one program to another within the College may desire a modification of the academic record to delete nonapplicable grades from the academic average. Students selecting this option must utilize from the previous program the credits and grade-point average of all required courses that are applicable to the new program as determined by the curriculum coordinator or chairperson of the new program. The student may request to utilize from the previous program the credit and grade-point average of any courses that fulfill the require ments for unspecified electives under the new program as determined by an advisor. Changes involving modification of transcripts must receive final approval of the Academic Status Subcommittee, which is chaired by the Associate Dean for Counseling and Student Services .

The grade-point average of those courses applicable to the new curriculum will be calculated in the student's cumulative average at the end of the first semester (Spring or Fall) in the new program. Such considerations may occur only once during a student's studies at Ulster County Community College.

Withdrawal from Courses
Students wishing to withdraw from a course must secure the necessary withdrawal form from the Registrar's Office. The withdrawal must be processed promptly by the student, particularly in immediately notifying the instructor involved, the advisor, and the Registrar's Office.

A student may officially withdraw from a course through the first two thirds of the time period of that course and will receive a grade of W. A student may withdraw during the last third of the course only for verified special circumstances, such as death in the family, hospitalization, transfer from area, or prolonged illness. Special circumstances must be submitted by the instructor through the office of the Vice President and Dean for Academic and Student Affairs on a form available in the Registrar's or Dean's Offices.

Withdrawal from College
Full-time students wishing to withdraw from the College must secure the necessary withdrawal form from the Office of the Associate Dean for Counseling and Student Services. These forms must be signed by the advisor and a representative of the Bursar's Office, Financial Aid, the Library, and Student Services Center. Failure to withdraw properly may lead to grade problems for the student.

Student Rights and Responsibilities

Academic Appeals Procedure

Academic Grievance
Disagreements between students and instructors are usually resolved on an informal basis. However, the College provides formal avenues for appeal of grades from an instructor. These formal procedures are not intended to replace informal channels, and every attempt should be made to explore the informal avenues before escalation to more form alized procedures.

The procedures described are purposefully general, rather than detailed, to insure flexibility for both the student and the instructor in resolving the grievance. Reasonable efforts will be made to expedite the process. Time frames are specified to accommodate this procedure.

These procedures in no way reduce the traditional responsibility and authority of faculty members in establishing academic standards and procedures for their courses.

A. Informal Level

  1. The student who wishes to grieve must take his or her complaint to the instructor within 20 days of the notice of the grade. The student and the faculty member will meet and attempt to resolve the issue in a mutually acceptable manner.
  2. If unable to resolve the issue, the student will contact the Associate Dean for Counseling and Student Services conc erning his or her grievance. If the Associate Dean cannot bring about a successful resolution of the grievance through informal mediation, he or she will arrange a three - way meeting among the student, instructor, and appropriate department chairperson as soon as possible or practicable.

B. Formal Level

  1. If, at the end of the meeting described in No. 2 above, the issue is still unresolved, the department chairperson will ask the student to prepare a written grievance within a calendar month after the meeting. A copy of this will be given to the faculty member, who will then respond in writing to the grievance. The department chairperson will forward copies of these documents to the Academic Review Committee, the student, and the faculty member. The Academic Review Committee will meet as soon as practicable; it will consider only the issue addressed in the written documents.

    The Committee will invite the student, instructor, and department chairperson involved to be present at its meeting. The student, faculty member, or both, may elect to have present at this meeting an advocate of his or her choice. Advocates will be limited to SUNY Ulster faculty, staff, and students. Only Committee members who have no prior involvement with the student or instructor concerning this grievance may sit on the Committee to review this particular grievance.

    The Committee's written recommendation, along with all pertinent material, will be forwarded to the Vice President and Dean for Academic and Student Affairs. Two members of the Committee will be designated to deliver these documents and to be available to answer any questions that the Vice President may raise concerning the Committee's recommendation. All members of the Academic Review Committee will receive a copy of the recommendation sent to the Vice President.
  2. The Vice President and Dean of Academic and Student Affairs will review the Committee's recommendation along with the documents of the student and the faculty member. Within two weeks, the Vice President and Dean for Academic and Student Affairs will render a decision and report his or her findings, in writing, to the student, the faculty member, and the department chairperson. The Vice President will send to the Academic Review Committee members copies of all letters sent to the student, the faculty member, and the department chairperson. The Vice President and Dean for Academic and Student Affairs is the final step in the Academic Appeals Procedure at the College.
  3. A student academic grievance will be adjudicated as soon as reasonable, but no later than the end of the next semester, excluding the Summer semester.

Accelerated Academic Grievance Procedure
In order to speed up the grievance process, primarily to accommodate students taking modular courses, SUNY Ulster's faculty have recently approved an Accelerated Academic Grievance Procedure. This accelerated procedure is important to students who need to pass one modular course before being eligible to take the next course in the sequence.

The full text of the Accelerated Grievance Procedure follows:

A. Informal Level

  1. The student who wishes to grieve must take his or her complaint to the instructor within 24 hours of the notice of the grade. The student and the instructor will attempt to resolve the issue in a mutually acceptable manner.
  2. If unable to resolve the issue, the student will contact, within 24 hours, the Associate Dean for Counseling and Student Services concerning his or her grievance. If the Associate Dean cannot bring about a successful resolution, he or she will arrange a three-way meeting with the student, instructor, and appropriate department chairpersons within three days.

B. Formal Level

  1. If, at the end of the meeting described in No. 2 above, the issue is still unresolved, the department chairperson will ask the student to prepare a written grievance within three days. A copy of this will be given to the faculty member, who will then respond in writing to the grievance within three days. The department chairperson will immediately forward copies of these documents to the Academic Review Committee, the student, and the faculty member. The Academic Review Committee will meet within three days to consider only the issue addressed in the written documents.

    The Committee will invite the student, instructor, and department chairperson involved to be present at its meeting. The student, faculty member, or both may elect to have present at this meeting an advocate of his or her choice. Advocates will be limited to SUNY Ulster faculty, staff, and students. Only Committee members who have no prior involvement with the student or instructor concerning this grievance may sit on the Committee to review this particular grievance. The Committee's written recommendation, along with all pertinent material, will be forwarded immediately to the Vice President and Dean for Academic and Student Affairs. Two members of the Committee will be designated to deliver these documents and to be available to answer any questions that the Vice President may raise concerning the Committee's recommendation. All members of the Academic Review Committee will receive a copy of the recommendation sent to the Vice President.
  2. The Vice President and Dean for Academic and Student Affairs will review the committee's recommendation along with the documents of the student and the faculty member. Within three days, the Vice President and Dean for Academic and Student Affairs will render a decision and report his or her findings, in writing, to the student, the faculty member, and the department chairperson. The Vice President will send to the Academic Review Committee members copies of all letters sent to the student, the faculty member, and the department chairperson. The Vice President and Dean for Academic and Student Affairs is the final step in the Academic Appeals Procedure of the College.
  3. The process above shall be accelerated as necessary in order for resolution to be completed before the student has completed one-third of the presently enrolled course.

Student Academic Integrity

Student Obligations
Responsibility for maintaining academic integrity rests with the individual student. Students have an obligation to maintain the highest standards of honesty and to respect ethical standards in carrying out academic assignments. Academic dishonesty in any form is regarded by the College as an intolerable breach of academic ethics and deserves immediate disciplinary action.

Academic dishonesty includes, but is not limited to, the following:

  1. Cheating on examinations, i.e., referring to materials or sources, or use of devices not authorized by the instructor;
  2. Plagiarism, i.e., the use of words or ideas of others, whether borrowed, purchased, or otherwise obtained, without crediting the source; the College subscribes to a commercial service that documents plagiarized material. Any student paper may be submitted to this service for review;
  3. Willing collaboration with another student in any actions which result in a student submitting work that is not her or his own;
  4. Theft or sale of examinations, falsification of academic records, or other such offenses;
  5. Submission of work previously presented in another course without permission of the instructor;
  6. Unauthorized duplication of computer software or print materials;
  7. Attempting to influence or change her or his academic evaluation or record for reasons other than achievement or merit; and
  8. Practice of any form of deceit in an academic evaluation proceeding.

Procedures for Adjudication
In all cases, the objective is to provide fundamental fairness to the student. It is the responsibility of the instructor to present adequate evidence in support of charges of academic dishonesty. No student should be subject to an adverse finding that an offense related to academic integrity has been committed and no sanction should be imposed relating thereto, except in accordance with procedures stated below:

  1. The instructor will advise the student that there is reason to believe that the student has committed an offense related to academic integrity, and the student will be afforded an informal opportunity to respond.
  2. If the instructor finds the response of the student unsatisfactory as an explanation of the possible misconduct, the instructor must file an official report with the Associate Dean for Counseling and Student Services, together with adequate evidence of the charges.
  3. The Associate Dean will schedule a meeting with the student to review and clarify the College’s policy on academic integrity. At that time, the student will sign a statement indicating that he or she understands the issue and its seriousness, and that he or she will be dismissed from the College if a second instance is reported.
  4. The student appeal process, if desired, must be begun within ten (10) school days after imposition of the disciplinary action. The appeal must be made in writing to the Associate Dean for Counseling and Student Services.
  5. The Associate Dean will schedule a time and place for the student and instructor to meet with the Academic Review Committee.
  6. The hearing should provide a fair inquiry into the truth or falsity of the charges. Both the student and the instructor may provide witnesses or other relevant support at this meeting. A suitable record must be made of the proceedings.
  7. After consideration of the evidence, the Academic Review Committee will make its recommendation to the Vice President and Dean for Academic and Student Affairs and the Associate Dean for Counseling and Student Services.
  8. The decision made by the Vice President and Associate Dean is, in all cases, final.
  9. The Associate Dean for Counseling and Student Services will then transmit copies of all actions taken by the hearing authority and the Vice President and Associate Dean to the student and to the instructor.

Timeliness
It is the responsibility of all parties to take prompt action in order that charges can be resolved quickly and fairly.

Sanctions
Depending upon the circumstances, any first offense will result in one of the following actions:

  1. Repetition of the assignment or examination,
  2. A failing grade for the assignment or examination,
  3. A failing grade for the course, or
  4. Suspension or dismissal from the program.

Any second instance will result in dismissal from the College for a period of time not less than one calendar year.

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