Academic Catalog

Academic Regulations

Class Ranking

Ranks are determined according to the number of degree credits which the student has satisfactorily completed. The classifications are:

FRESHMAN 0 to 28.99 credits, inclusive
SOPHOMORE 29 to 55.99 credits, inclusive
JUNIOR 56 to 87.99 credits, inclusive
SENIOR 88 credits or above

Undergraduate Course Numbering Systems

For the College of Education

0000-4999 —Undergraduate credit only.
5000-6999 —Undergraduate or graduate credit.

For Pharmacy Departments

0000-2999 — Preprofessional Courses.
3000-3999 — First Professional Year Courses.
4000-4999 — Second Professional Year Courses.
5000-5999 — Third Professional Year Courses.
6000-6999 — Undergraduate/Graduate Courses.

For All Other Schools and Colleges

0000-0999 — No degree credit; graded S and U.
— Mike Ilitch School of Business: Elementary courses auxiliary to the usual academic program.
—College of Engineering: Orientation courses.
1000-1999 — Primarily freshman courses; open to all undergraduates.
2000-2999 — Primarily freshman and sophomore courses; open to all undergraduates who have completed course prerequisites.
—Mike Ilitch School of Business: Primarily junior college courses.
—College of Engineering: Lower division courses; open to all undergraduates.
3000-4999 — Junior and senior courses; undergraduate credit. (Ordinarily freshmen and sophomores will not be permitted to register for these courses.)
—College of Engineering: Upper division courses.
5000-6999 — Junior and senior courses; undergraduate and graduate credit.

Definition of Credits

A credit hour is an amount of work represented in intended learning outcomes and verified by evidence of student achievement that reasonably approximates not less than:

  1. one hour of classroom or direct faculty instruction and a minimum of two hours of out-of-class student work each week for approximately fifteen weeks for one semester hour of credit, or the equivalent amount of work over a different amount of time; or
  2. at least an equivalent amount of work for other activities, including laboratory work, internships, practica, studio work, and other academic work leading to the award of credit hours.

Normal Program Load

A full-time undergraduate student is one who is enrolled for twelve or more credits during a semester. The definition of a normal course load will vary depending upon the requirements of each program. In general, for completion of undergraduate degree requirements in four years, full-time students should average fifteen to eighteen credits each semester during the academic year. Undergraduate students may not elect more than eighteen credits per semester except by written consent of the Dean or advisor. Individual Schools and Colleges may set credit restrictions below those specified here; for details see their respective sections of this bulletin.

Dual Enrollment

Undergraduate Election of a Graduate Course

Highly qualified undergraduate students may, under special circumstances, take a 7000-level course for undergraduate credit only. A written petition initiated by the student’s advisor must be approved by the graduate officer of the School or College, the professor teaching the course, and the Dean of the Graduate School. The petition, with all required signatures, must be turned in at the time of registration.

Graduate Election of an Undergraduate Course 

Graduate students may register for undergraduate courses, however these courses will be recorded on the undergraduate transcript. All courses elected under this status will be assessed at the graduate rate. These courses cannot be used as graduate credit nor to meet requirements for any graduate degree.

Accelerated Graduate Enrollment Program (AGRADE)

Several Colleges have established an accelerated combined undergraduate and graduate program (AGRADE) in which highly qualified seniors in the college may enroll simultaneously in some undergraduate and graduate programs of the College. A maximum of sixteen credits may be applied towards both undergraduate and graduate degrees in a student’s major field if that program is an AGRADE participant. Those who elect the AGRADE program may expect to complete the Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in five years of full-time study. AGRADE may not be used in conjunction with Senior Rule.

AGRADE Credits: Students may elect a minimum of three and a maximum of sixteen AGRADE credits. These will be used to complete the baccalaureate degree as well as to serve as the beginning of graduate study. Upon formal admission to a master’s program, AGRADE credits are transferred as if they were graduate credits transferred from a graduate program at another university.  The remaining graduate credits required for the master’s degree will be earned in the conventional manner following formal admission to the graduate program.

Eligibility: AGRADE applicants must have an outstanding overall g.p.a. and have performed at a superior level in their major, as determined by the major department. The earliest date by which a student may apply for the AGRADE program is during the semester in which he/she completes ninety credits toward the undergraduate degree.

Application: A student seeking AGRADE status should present to the Graduate Admissions Committee of his/her major department all of the materials which that department requires for normal admission (except the GRE; where required, the GRE scores should be forwarded at the normal point in the formal graduate admission process).

Admission and program requirements are described in the respective School and College sections of this bulletin, the Undergraduate Bulletin, and department advising offices.

Senior Rule Graduate School Admission

In their last undergraduate semester, Wayne State students with a 3.0 (or above) upper division grade point average have the option of taking a limited number of graduate credits. Graduate credit is awarded only for those courses taken in excess of baccalaureate degree requirements. Undergraduate and graduate courses combined may not exceed sixteen credits for the final semester of baccalaureate degree course work. A Senior Rule student must register for at least one credit which is required for the undergraduate degree in order to be eligible for this status. Students who have completed all required registrations for the baccalaureate may not obtain Senior Rule status. Completion of the Application for Graduate Admission is required, and students are advised to consult their advisors and the Office of Graduate Admissions. Application deadlines for Senior Rule admission are the same as for regular graduate admission. Students who qualify and are recommended by the Department or College will be admitted for one semester. Graduate admission will be regularized upon evidence that the student has completed all requirements for the bachelor's degree; it is the student's responsibility to provide this transcript.

As a courtesy, the University permits a student to pay undergraduate fees for the graduate courses elected in a Senior Rule status. It is recommended that students elect only courses numbered 5000-6999 in their Senior Rule semester. Senior Rule may not be used in conjunction with AGRADE.

Enrollment in Online Programs

A select number of programs have received authorization from the university to be offered in a fully online format. All students who are eligible to enroll in a fully online major will be assessed regular Michigan resident tuition rates. Students enrolled in a fully online major are limited to registering for courses listed in the Schedule of Classes with the Instructional Methods: Online — No Scheduled Meetings or Online — Scheduled Meetings. The limits on course registration apply to both Michigan residents and non-residents.

International students residing outside of the United States can enroll in and complete online programs, and these students would qualify regular Michigan resident tuition rates. International students on F-1 or J-1 visas are ineligible for fully online programs

A list of the university's approved fully online programs is available in the annual Statement on Tuition and Fee Regulations.

Undergraduate Grading System

Final grades are available on Academica. Grades are not mailed to students. Final grades are recorded under the following system.

Undergraduate Grades

A Excellent 4.00 grade points per credit
A - Excellent 3.67 grade points per credit
ANC Excellent no credit
B + Good 3.33 grade points per credit
B Good 3.00 grade points per credit
B - Good 2.67 grade points per credit
BNC Good no credit
C + Fair 2.33 grade points per credit
C Fair 2.00 grade points per credit
C - Fair 1.67 grade points per credit
CNC Fair no credit
D + Poor 1.33 grade points per credit
D Poor 1.00 grade points per credit
D - Poor 0.67 grade points per credit
F Failure 0.00 grade points per credit
P Passed
PNC Pass no credit
N Not passed
NNC Not passed no credit
S Satisfactory
SNC Satisfactory no credit
U Unsatisfactory
UNC Unsatisfactory no credit
M Marginal pass
*

 P, N, S, U, M, ANC, BNC, CNC, UNC, SNC, PNC, MNC, and NNC grades are not reflected in the grade point average. NR — No grade reported by the instructor

Passed — Not Passed Program

The University has a program whereby undergraduate students may elect to take courses in which they will be marked as Passed (P) or Not Passed (N) in place of a letter grade. The following regulations apply:

  1. The student may elect one P-N course per semester with the consent of an advisor, but he/she may not elect more than six courses in all.
  2. After classes have begun, a student may not change from Passed/Not Passed to a letter grade election or vice versa.
  3. Courses taken for P-N may be used to satisfy competency requirements; however, no course taken on this basis may be used to fulfill specific group or major requirements.
  4. Credits for a P-N course may be used to fulfill graduation requirements but will not count in the grade point average. In the event the student enrolls in more than six P-N courses, those beyond the permissible maximum will be designated on the permanent record as not applicable toward graduation.

Mike Ilitch School of Business: Students in the School of Business may not take courses offered by the School of Business on a passed / not passed basis.

Incomplete — The mark of I

The mark of I is given to a student when he/she has not completed all of the course work as planned for the term and when there is, in the judgment of the instructor, a reasonable probability that the student will complete the course successfully without again attending regular class sessions. The student should be passing at the time the grade of I is given. A written contract specifying the work to be completed should be signed by the student and instructor. Responsibility for completing all course work rests with the student.

The mark of I will be changed to a letter grade when the student completes the course work as arranged with the instructor or, if the instructor has left the University, with the Chairperson of the department or other instructional unit. Work must be completed within one calendar year. There are NO extensions.

The mark of I will not be awarded if, in the instructor's judgment, it is necessary for the student to attend subsequent sessions of the class. If regular attendance is necessary to complete coursework, the student must register for the class for the semester in which attendance is planned. The student will be assessed tuition and applicable fees for the second registration. If the student decides to register for the course, subsequent to the assignment of an I, then the mark of I for the original election will be changed to a Withdrawal (W), and the student will be responsible for tuition and applicable fees for the second registration. Students are responsible for notifying their department and the department offering the course that they have re-registered for the course so that the I is not changed to an F.

Any unchanged mark of I will, within one calendar year from the time it was received, be changed to a grade of F or failure. This will not be changed after the I is replaced.

Withdrawals — The mark of W

The mark of W is given when a student voluntarily withdraws from a class during the official withdrawal period for that class as denoted in the Schedule of Classes. The mark of W is not used in the calculation of grade point average.

Deferred — The mark of Y

The mark of Y is given when the student is up-to-date in the work of a course planned to continue beyond the semester (i.e., essay, thesis, dissertation and certain courses taken in sequence).

Auditor — The mark of Z

The mark of Z  is given when the student has formally registered for the course for audit. The student's Academic Dean or his/ her designee must provide written audit authorization to the student at the time of registration.

Repeating Courses — The mark of R

COURSES REPEATED PRIOR TO WINTER TERM 1998:

If an undergraduate student repeats a course and completes it with a grade of A, B, C, D, or E, the following rules will apply in posting the students cumulative record:

  1. The grade, grade points and credits for an earlier attempt will be eliminated from the student’s grade point average computation.
  2. The grade, grade points and credits of only the latest repetition will be included in the student’s grade point average computation.
  3. An R on the student’s academic record will replace the original grade in the course repeated under this rule. Thus, the indicator R will appear for all attempts in a course except the last.

COURSES REPEATED WINTER TERM 1998 TO SPRING/SUMMER TERM 2006:

If an undergraduate student repeats a course and completes it with a grade of A, A-minus, ANC, B-plus, B, B-minus, BNC, C-plus, C, C- minus, CNC, D-plus, D, D-minus, or E, the following rules will apply in posting the student’s cumulative record:

  1. The grade, grade points and credits for an earlier attempt will be eliminated from the student’s grade point average computation.
  2. The grade, grade points and credits of only the latest retake will be included in the student’s grade point average computation.
  3. The original grade in the course repeated under this rule will remain on the student’s academic record. Earlier attempts will be flagged for exclusion in the g.p.a. calculation and the latest attempt will be flagged for inclusion in the g.p.a. calculation.

COURSES REPEATED FROM FALL TERM 2006 TO THE PRESENT:

If an undergraduate student repeats a course and completes it with a grade of A, A-minus, ANC, B-plus, B, B-minus, BNC, C-plus, C, C- minus, CNC, D-plus, D, D-minus, or F, the following rules will apply in posting the student's cumulative record:

  1. No student shall attempt to take a class more than four (4) times (for a definition of "attempt," see 5, below).
  2. If a student anticipates an attempt to take a class for the third (3rd) time, he/she must meet with an academic advisor to receive permission for this attempt.
  3. If a student anticipates an attempt to take a class for the fourth (4th) time, he/she must obtain written permission from the chair (or his/her designee) of the department offering the course and the chair (or his/her designee) of the student's home department.
  4. When a course is repeated, credit is only granted once. The last grade and credit hours for a repeated course are used in computing a student's grade point average and for awarding credit hours applicable for a degree even if lower than the previous grade. However, a grade of W (Withdrawal) will not replace a previous grade or credit hours for a course. All attempts to take a course will be recorded on a student's transcript, whatever the last grade and credit hours awarded may be.
  5. Withdrawals, incompletes, as well as courses repeated in an effort to earn higher grades will count as attempts. If a student drops the class before a W would appear on the transcript, this is not counted as an attempt, i.e. the student does a drop or a drop/add to another course. If tuition has been assessed and the time for refunding tuition has passed but the time for having a W appear on the transcript has not, the tuition will not be refunded, but the registration will not count towards the allowed attempts.
  6. Any student who has repeated three different courses must meet with an academic advisor for permission to repeat another course.
  7. There shall be an appeals process to the dean's office of the colleges offering the course and the student's home department.

After a degree has been granted, no grade computed in that degree may be changed.

If a post-bachelor status student repeats a course originally taken under regular undergraduate status, the repeat will in no way modify the earlier attempt. The second election, however, will be averaged in the grade point base.

Mike Ilitch School of Business: No course in which a student has received a passing grade or mark may be retaken without the prior written approval of the Director of Student Services of the Mike Ilitch School of Business.

Eugene Applebaum College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences: No course may be retaken without the consent of the advisor(s) delegated for each professional curriculum.

Auditing Courses

To audit a course, a student must indicate that he/she wishes to audit the course rather than receive academic credit, at the time of registration. Registration to audit a course is subject to the following regulations:

  1. Students must pay the tuition assessment for the course, which is the same as if it were taken for academic credit;
  2. A student is not permitted to take quizzes and examinations in audited courses;
  3. A student may not normally change from audit status after registering for the course. In some cases, exceptions may be permitted during the term with the written recommendation of the instructor and the written approval of the Dean of the college/school in which the student is enrolled. The instructor's recommendation and Dean's approval must be included with the student's Drop/Add Form indicating the desired change.

Change of Grades or Marks

Once recorded in the Office of the Registrar, grades/marks will be changed only if the instructor posts the grade change in the online grade/mark change system in Academica. Most changes must be posted within one calendar year. (Deferred (Y) grades are the exception.) Failure grades that are posted as a result of a student not completing an incomplete course may not be changed. After a degree has been awarded, the grades associated with that degree may not be changed. Other change of grades or marks older than a year must be approved by the department chair and the Associate Dean of the school or college that offered the course.

Credit by Special Examination

Upon the recommendation of the Department Chairperson and with the written approval of the appropriate College or School office, a student may earn credit in a course in which he/she has not been regularly enrolled in this University, but which is offered by a Department, by passing a special examination. Credit by a special examination is restricted as follows:

  1. Not more than sixteen credits may be earned in any one subject.
  2. Credit will be recorded with grade to indicate the level of performance in the examination but will not be considered in computing grade point average.
  3. Credit will not be considered residence credit.
  4. To be eligible to earn Credit by Special Examination, a student must have been regularly admitted or have attended with guest status, have enrolled for one semester and have completed at least one course. 

Students who intend to transfer to other schools are cautioned that Credit by Special Examination at one institution is infrequently accepted for transfer credit by another institution.

Advanced Placement Tests

Superior performance in the College Board Advanced Placement Tests will entitle an entering freshman to consideration for advanced placement and/or advanced standing credit in the areas covered by the examination. These areas include American history, European history, art history, studio art, biology, chemistry, computer science, English, French, German, Latin, Spanish, mathematics, music literature, music theory, and physics. Advanced placement and/or advanced standing credit will be awarded and such credit may satisfy General Education Requirements (see General Education Program) in accordance with policies adopted by the appropriate Department. Interested students should contact the Office of Undergraduate Admissions.

College-Level Examination Program

The College Board sponsors the College-Level Examination Program (CLEP). This program gives students and prospective students the opportunity to demonstrate their academic proficiency at the freshman-sophomore college level in various areas and in specific subjects whether or not they have had previous formal college instruction in materials covered by the tests. As described by the College Board, the examinations are intended to provide a comprehensive measure of undergraduate achievement in the five basic areas of the liberal arts:

  • English composition
  • humanities
  • mathematics
  • natural sciences 
  • social sciences

They are not intended to measure advanced training in any specific discipline, but rather to assess a student's knowledge of fundamental facts and concepts, his/her ability to perceive relationships and his/her understanding of the basic principles of a subject. The content of the Examinations is similar to the content of those subjects ordinarily included in the program of study required of most general education students in the first two years of college.

The Subject Examinations are essentially end-of-course tests developed for widely taught undergraduate courses. They measure understanding of basic facts and concepts, as well as the ability to apply such understanding to the solution of problems and the interpretation of materials. Questions that require of a student only rote recall are avoided.

Superior performance in these examinations will be considered as a basis for granting advanced placement and/or advanced standing credit as well as for waiving parts of the General Education Requirements of the University (see General Education Program). For further information, please consult advisors, school or college offices, or University Advising Center at 313-577-8889.

Transfer of Undergraduate Credits

Wayne State University policy accepts transfer credit from all accredited institutions of higher education, both community colleges and baccalaureate-granting colleges and universities.

No transfer grades apply in computing Wayne State grade point averages.

Transfer Credit from Regionally Accredited Institutions: Wayne State University will accept equivalent academic credit from regionally accredited baccalaureate-granting institutions and community colleges and other regionally accredited institutions which offer associate degrees. Courses must be completed with a grade of C or higher to transfer in to Wayne State.

Credit from Institutions NOT Regionally Accredited: Wayne State University will accept transfer credit from other accredited institutions, provided that the institution:

  1. grants a baccalaureate or associate degree;
  2. is fully accredited by an agency recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA); and
  3. the courses presented for transfer are shown to have equivalency or are determined to be of a traditional academic nature.

Transfer Credit from Institutions in Candidacy Status: Wayne State University will accept for transfer those credits from institutions with candidacy status from a regional accrediting agency.

Technical, Vocational and Applied Credit: To facilitate transfer of students, Wayne State University will accept transfer credits earned in technical, vocational and applied (TVA) courses at two- and four-year colleges if such courses are determined to be related to a student’s intended program.

Transfer of Remedial or Developmental Course Work: Credit earned in courses designated remedial or developmental will not transfer.

Transfer of Redundant or Duplicative Course Work: Transfer credit will not be awarded for redundant course work (i.e., courses with substantially duplicative content). Credit will be awarded for only one course in any set of redundant courses.

Residency and Upper Division Requirements: Transfer students will be required to meet the University and College residency requirements and to obtain the same number of upper division credits in fulfillment of the baccalaureate degree as are required of native students in specific major programs.

Junior Standing: Wayne State University will award junior standing to all transfer students for whom fifty-six or more transferable semester credits have been accumulated, whether they are transferred credits or credit earned at Wayne State University. Junior standing will not guarantee automatic entry to major and professional programs in the Schools and Colleges. Transcripts will be individually evaluated to determine whether all prerequisites for major and professional standing have been met by native and transfer students.

Grade Point Average

The grade point average (g.p.a.) is the numerical index of the student’s scholastic average across all transcript credit earned at a given student level (i.e. undergraduate or graduate). Points are assigned to each letter grade (see University Grading System, above) for each hour of credit. To compute your grade point average, multiply the grade points assigned to each course grade by the number of credits for each course; add the results and divide by the total number of credits.

For example, a grade of A in a class carrying 3 credits would be assigned 12 grade points (3 x 4), and a grade of C in a class carrying 4 credits would be assigned 8 grade points (4 x 2). In this example, the grade point average is: 20 (total grade points) divided by 7 (total credits attempted) = 2.85 g.p.a.

Credit for special examinations, transfer credit, and courses in which a mark of I or W or a grade of S, U, M, P, and N, has been earned are excluded from grade point average computation.

Law School: This grade point system does not apply to Law School students.

Undergraduate Academic Probation

An undergraduate student whose cumulative grade point average (g.p.a.) falls below 2.00 will be placed on Academic Probation. An ‘Academic Probation’ status is placed on the student’s record and the student shall be permitted to register only after consultation with, and approval has been granted by, a designated University advisor.

A student shall be given two subsequent terms for enrollment on probationary status. At the conclusion of the two terms, a student who has not achieved a cumulative g.p.a. of at least 2.00 shall be excluded from his/her program. A student excluded from the University may not apply for readmission or reinstatement for one calendar year.

Each School and College may establish more stringent Probation, Exclusion, and Appeal policies, and students should consult the appropriate Dean’s Office. Students must consult with an academic advisor regarding appropriate deadlines for academic hold releases and/or reinstatement procedures.

Grade Appeal Procedure

Students should first seek to settle grade disputes informally with the instructor. Each College and School has established formal grade appeal procedures. These procedures are available from the Dean’s Office of the College or School. In most instances, formal grade appeals must be filed within thirty days of the time the student has or should have received his/her final grade.

Academic Appeal Procedure

In matters where a College's signed final decision is based upon the evaluation of a student's academic performance, and when review procedures available to him/her within the College have been exhausted, the student may request the Associate Provost for Academic Programs to review that decision on the record. The academic appeal form must be submitted by the student himself/herself, within thirty calendar days of the postmark of the College's final decision, which is to be sent to the address provided by the student in the College's review procedures. The Associate Provost's review of the College's decision will proceed as soon as practicable after submission by the student of his/her wish to seek review. 

Classroom Attendance Policy for Undergraduate Students

Whenever attendance forms a basis for a portion or all of a course grade, students must be provided with explicit written information concerning that fact during the first week of classes. Such information shall be specific with regard to the penalty incurred for each absence and the means, if any, to compensate for the absence. It should be recognized that there may be certain situations where the student may not be permitted to make up the absence(s).

It is recognized that students may be required to miss classes on occasion as a result of their participation in approved University activities. Examples of such activities include formal participation on University sports teams, debate teams, and performing arts groups. These activities are generally directed by a University official, such as a coach, and usually have a set schedule of events.

Students participating in approved University activities should consult with instructors prior to registration, but no later than the end of the second week after the start of classes, to determine the class attendance policy. At this time, the student should provide the instructor with a schedule of planned absences, preferably signed by the University official directing the activity (e.g., Athletic or Program Director or his/her designee), in order to allow the instructor to evaluate and advise the student on the possible impact of the planned absences. In this case, the instructor will consider absences due to participation in approved University activities, as outlined above, to be excused absences, on par with those due to other unavoidable circumstances such as illness. For classes requiring mandatory attendance incompatible with the number of planned absences, students will be advised to register, if possible, during a semester in which they will not be participating in the University activity (for example, during the off-season for a sports team or during the summer).

It is the student’s responsibility to learn the course material. When classes are missed, for whatever reason, it is the student’s obligation to obtain copies of the class materials and students are responsible for all materials covered in the lectures. An excused absence does not excuse the student from completing assigned work, including exams.

This policy shall be applicable to all courses within the University.

Religious Holidays

 

Because of the extraordinary variety of religious affiliations of the University student body and staff, the Academic Calendar makes no provisions for religious holidays. However, it is University policy to respect the faith and religious obligations of the individual. Students with classes or examinations that conflict with their religious observances are expected to notify their instructors well in advance so that mutually agreeable alternatives may be worked out.

 
 

Responsible Attendance and Performance

Students must show diligence and are normally expected to complete the courses they elect. Irresponsible attendance is wasteful of both student and University resources. Those students who consistently receive excessive marks of I (incomplete) or W (Withdrawal) may be refused the privilege of further registration by the dean or the dean's designee of their school or college.

Student Rights and Responsibilities

Upon the recommendation of the Student-Faculty Council, the University (Faculty) Council, the President-Deans Conference and the President, the Board of Governors, in January, 1967, approved a comprehensive statement of Student Rights and Responsibilities for the University. Copies of this document are available to students and faculty in the offices of the deans of each College and the Dean of Students Office.

Law School: The faculty of the Law School has approved a set of academic regulations specifically applicable to Law School students, copies of which are available to all students enrolled in the Law School.

Student Academic Ethics

Academic Records: The submission of fraudulent academic records for admission or transfer of credit by a student may be cause for the student’s dismissal.

Academic Work: Academic work submitted by a student for credit is assumed to be of his/her own creation, and if found not to be, will constitute cause for the student’s dismissal.

Student Code of Conduct

High standards of student conduct play a major role in creating an environment of excellence and the Student Code of Conduct is used to maintain these standards. The code:

  1. establishes the expectations that students are accountable for their behavior;
  2. describes acceptable student conduct, both academic and non-academic;
  3. describes disciplinary policies and procedures;
  4. specifies the rights of students and other parties; and
  5. specifies prohibited conduct and sanctions to be imposed if such conduct occurs.

Examples of prohibited conduct subject to the Student Code of Conduct include, but are not limited to, academic misbehavior, knowingly furnishing false information to the University, disorderly behavior, theft, damage of property, illegal drugs, weapons on campus, physical assault, unauthorized entry, violation of criminal law, etc.

The University Student Conduct Officer, housed in the Dean of Students Office, monitors the student disciplinary process and is responsible for coordinating matters involving student discipline; describing the disciplinary procedures; and informing students and other parties of their rights. The Student Code of Conduct is published by the Dean of Students Office.

Obligations to the Instructional Process

Since education is a cooperative effort between teacher and student, both parties must fulfill obligations if the integrity and efficacy of the instructional process are to be preserved.

Responsibilities of Faculty Members

  1. To contribute to and remain abreast of the latest developments in their fields;
  2. To continually pursue teaching excellence;
  3. To treat all students with respect and fairness without regard to ancestry, race, color, religion, political belief, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, disability, or veteran status;
  4. To encourage differing viewpoints and demonstrate integrity in evaluating their merit;
  5. To attend regularly and punctually, adhere to the scheduled class and final examination times, and arrange for notification of absence and coverage of classes;
  6. To establish and maintain appropriate office hours;
  7. To present, early in the semester, the following course information:
    1. course objectives and general outline;
    2. classroom procedures to be followed, expectations concerning class attendance, and proposed dates of major evaluations (including examinations, papers, and other projects);
    3. grading policy;
    4. where  appropriate, a schedule of class-related  activities, including class meetings and laboratory sessions;
    5. lists of texts and/or other materials needed for the course;
    6. late enrollment, withdrawal, and other special policies.
  8. To provide and adhere, within reasonable limits, to the written syllabus of the course;
  9. To know course matter thoroughly and prepare and present the material conscientiously;
  10. To be informed of University services and recommend their use to students when advisable;
  11. To follow these policies concerning written work and grades:
    1. grade and return written work promptly;
    2. submit final grades by the scheduled time;
    3. retain written materials not returned within the semester (e.g., final examinations, major term papers) for one academic semester in accordance with unit policy and allow students to examine such materials;
  12. To implement unit procedures for student evaluation of faculty teaching, with attention to preserving student anonymity;
  13. To behave appropriately in dealing with students so as to maintain a scholarly atmosphere

Responsibilities of Students

  1. To inform themselves of and to fulfill all requirements of the University and those of the College and Department from which they expect to receive their degree;
  2. To fulfill conscientiously all assignments and requirements of their courses;
  3. To attend classes regularly and punctually;
  4. To maintain a scholarly, courteous demeanor in class;
  5. To uphold academic honesty in all activities;
  6. To notify the instructor as early as possible if prevented from keeping an appointment or carrying out an assignment;
  7. To discuss with the instructor any class-related problem and follow established procedures in the resolution of these problems;
  8. To adhere to the instructor’s and general University policies on attendance, withdrawal, or other special procedures.

It is expected that faculty and students will fulfill their obligations to the instructional process. If, however, a complaint does arise, the parties should meet in an effort to resolve the matter. When such a discussion fails to resolve the problem or is inappropriate given the circumstances, the head of the academic unit should be contacted. If this contact fails to satisfy the complaint, the College’s published procedures should be followed. Although the University Ombudsperson is not a direct part of the appeal process, students and faculty may consult the Ombudsperson at any point during such proceedings.

Academic Nepotism Policy

Faculty members are not to place themselves, or allow themselves to be placed, in situations amounting to ‘academic nepotism,’ i.e., teaching or otherwise directing the credit study or research of a student who is also a close relative. Concomitantly, students are not to take courses from close relatives or engage in research for academic credit under the direction of close relatives. All such credit will be disallowed.

Fraud and Misuse of Documents

Intentionally furnishing false information to the University is explicitly prohibited, as is forgery, alteration, unauthorized possession, or misuse of University documents, records and identification cards. The University reserves the right to rescind degrees if the award of the degree was based in whole or in part on deception, fraud, other unacceptable academic conduct, or misuse of University documents.

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