Navigation

Homepage

Policies

Curriculum Plans

Student Referral

Mid-Term Evaluation

Role and Responsibility of an Academic Advisor

Electronic Resources

Important Advising Dates for 2007-2008

Policies and Procedures

Academic Amnesty and Academic Failure (top)

Academic amnesty may be granted for one term only. Students having received a GPA of less than 2.0 in a semester may apply in writing to the Registrar after having completed two consecutive fulltime semesters or twenty-four hours of part-time work with a GPA of 2.0 or better. Twelve semester hours earned during the summer terms may be counted as one semester. Course titles and grades remain as previously recorded on the transcript and credit will be given for courses with grades of “C” or better. None of the grades in the semester for which academic amnesty is granted will be used in calculating the GPA. Transfer students bringing less than a 2.0 GPA or having received any form of academic amnesty at another institution do not qualify for any amnesty option at Union. Students who receive amnesty will not be eligible for academic honors based on cumulative GPA.

Students have a right of appeal and of due process. Procedures may be found in the student handbook.

Academic Honesty  (top)

Union College expects a high standard of academic integrity. Academic dishonesty, such as plagiarism, unauthorized collaboration, or cheating, undermine the academic integrity of each student and of the institution by violating the spirit of a true learning community and, therefore, will not be tolerated. Examples of academic dishonesty may include:

1. Plagiarism - taking words, sentences, ideas, and so on, from another and presenting them as one’s own. This includes any improperly documented sources, including electronic or on-line papers, presentations and the like.
2. Writing papers for other students
3. Cheating (using illegal notes, copying, etc.) on examinations
4. Unauthorized collaboration - unauthorized assistance with written or oral material.

Incidents of academic dishonesty will be dealt with by the individual professor in collaboration with the appropriate department chair and the Vice President for Academic Affairs. All incidents of academic dishonesty will be reported in writing to the Office of Academic Affairs. The professor may impose any number and degree of penalties, including administering another assignment or assigning an “F” for the course. The Vice President for Academic Affairs may suspend any student from the College for academic dishonesty.

Academic Probation and Suspension (top)

Students falling below the following grade point average and corresponding minimum semester hours will be placed on academic probation:

• Freshmen - 1.80
• Sophomores (32 hours) - 1.90
• Juniors (64 hours) - 2.00
• Seniors (96 hours) - 2.00

Probationary students are closely monitored by the Admission and Academic Standing Committee of the College. Students who are admitted, placed, or continued on academic probation may be restricted as to courses taken, credit hour limitations, required to repeat courses in which low grades have been earned, lose College financial aid, or be suspended from the College after an established period of time.

A student admitted to the College on academic probation may have either one or two semesters in which to meet the minimum academic standards. Failure to attain the required GPA at the end of any said semester may result in suspension from the College.

A student admitted to the College in good standing will receive notification of academic probation if the GPA is below the minimum required after the first semester. Notification of academic suspension may be sent to the student at the end of the second consecutive semester in which the cumulative GPA falls below the required minimum standard.

A student under academic suspension from Union College must sit out one semester before being considered for readmission. At the discretion of the Admission and Academic Standing Committee, a student may be suspended for one full academic year. The student must reapply through the Office of Admission in order to be readmitted to Union College. Readmitted students may be subject to restrictions as established by the Committee relative to number of hours allowed and the repeating of courses. Any student readmitted after suspension from Union will be readmitted on academic probation.

Advisee Assignment and Changing Advisors (top)

Special Programs assigns all new students an advisor.  At times students may wish to change advisors.  When this occurs the student must complete an official request in the Office of Special Programs.  The Director will contact the previous advisor to have the folder sent to the new advisor.

PLEASE DO NOT SEND THE FOLDER WITH THE STUDENT.

Academic advisors should contact the Director of Special Programs in the event that a student needs, for any reason, to be assigned another advisor.

Guidelines for Advising Student Athletes (top)

All student athletes must be enrolled in at least 12 hours at all times in order to be eligible that semester -  12 hour enrollment rule. 

The only exception is during the last semester of the senior year.  You only need to be enrolled in the number of hours you need to graduate. 

If possible, athletes should enroll in 15 hours.

After completion of a second term of attendance and from then on, a student athlete must have accumulated a minimum of 24 institutional credit hours in the two immediately previous terms of attendance – known as the 24 credit hour rule.

• In order to be eligible to play a 2^nd season, students must have 24 semester hours.

• In order to be eligible to play a 3^rd season, students must have 48 semester hours.

• In order to be eligible to play a 4^th season, students must have 72 semester hours of which 48 hours must be degree credit hours (in core, major, and/or minor).

Repeat courses passed with a grade of “D” or better cannot be applied to meet either the 12 hour enrollment rule or the 24 credit hour rule.

No more than 12 institutional credit hours earned during summers and/or non-terms may be applied to meet the 24 hour credit rule.  Union’s May term is “attached to” or is counted as part of the Spring semester.

Freshmen and Sophomores must be making normal progress toward a recognized baccalaureate degree and maintain the minimum grade point average as defined by the institution – freshmen 1.8; sophomores 1.9.

Juniors and seniors as defined by the institution must have a cumulative GPA of at least 2.0 on a 4.0 scale.

Challenge Credit (top)

1. If a student wishes to receive a challenge credit by examination, he/she should first discuss the possibility with the appropriate instructor and department chairperson. Upon consent, the instructor and department chairperson will issue and sign an Application For Challenge Credit Form.
2. The student will take the signed form to the Business Office to pay the $50.00 fee per credit hour for the Challenge Credit.
3. The student will take the form, complete with all three signatures and the receipt showing payment was made, to the Vice President for Academic Affairs for approval.
4. The instructor will prepare and administer the Challenge Credit requirements and maintain the results on file in his/her office.
5. The recommendation of the instructor, with supporting documentation, will be forwarded to the department chair for review. If the department chair does not agree with the evaluation, a meeting will be scheduled with the Vice President for Academic Affairs.
6. If the department chair approves the evaluation, the instructor will return the completed form and a copy of the documentation to the Registrar’s Office. Successful completion of the Challenge Credit will be recorded as “CR” on the transcript. An unsuccessful challenge will not be recorded. The Registrar’s Office will keep the copies on file.
7. Students enrolled in a course may request a Challenge Credit only within the period when a new course may be added.
8. Challenge Credits may not be used to repeat a course or remove an “F” from the transcript.

Confirmation (top)

All students are required to confirm their registration at the beginning of the Fall and Spring semesters. During confirmation, students are given an up-to-date class schedule, meal ticket, identification card, parking sticker, email address, campus mail box location, book charges, etc. Several days are made available at the beginning of the Fall and Spring terms to confirm registration. If a student does not confirm during this time, he/she must report to Academic Affairs to confirm. If a student fails to confirm their registration within the specified time frame they will be withdrawn from the college.

Course Load (top)

Regular Semester

• The normal undergraduate student load is 16 hours per semester.

• 12 hrs is the minimum course load for a student to be considered full-time and receive financial aid and full Veteran's benefits.

• Students with a "C" (2.0 GPA) standing may register for 18 hours.

• Those with a "B" (3.0 GPA) standing may register for up to 21 hours.  (Students registering for more than 18 hours are charged a fee for each additional hour.)

• The Vice President for Academic Affairs must approve any course load above 21 hours.

Any student admitted on probation is limited to 13 hours.

May Interim

• The maximum load in the May interim is three semester hours.

Summer Term

• The maximum load in each summer term is seven semester hours.

Credit/Fail Option  (top)

The purpose of the Credit/Fail option is to provide the opportunity for students to explore elective courses outside their area, major, or minor without engaging in competition with students specializing in those subjects and without jeopardizing their grade point average.

This option excludes all courses in the Liberal Education Core and any area, major or minor. It is available only to those students with at least sophomore classification and those maintaining a 2.0 grade point average. This option is also available to transfer students of sophomore classification and who have completed at least twelve hours of satisfactory work at Union College.

This option allows that no more than fifteen semester hours may be applied toward graduation with a Bachelor’s degree, no more than two courses per academic year (July though June), and only two courses in any single discipline.

A student must apply in the Registrar’s office for the Credit/Fail option by the last date identified in the current academic calendar to withdraw from a course with a grade of “W.” It is a matter between the Office of the Registrar and the student. The information is not available to instructors except when the student communicates the same to the instructor. A grade of “D” or above will be recorded as CR and an “F” will be recorded as such, but will not affect the grade point average

Degrees with Distinction (top)

There are three grades of honors designated respectively: cum laude, magna cum laude, and summa cum laude. These honors are conferred at graduation upon students who satisfy the following conditions of scholarship:

• The honor of cum laude is awarded to those students who have earned an average standing of 3.5 overall and at Union.
• The honor of magna cum laude is awarded to those students who have earned an average standing of 3.75 overall and at Union.
• The honor of summa cum laude is awarded to those students who have earned an average standing of 3.9 overall and at Union.

Students coming from other colleges may receive honors on completing 64 semester hours of resident study and satisfying the conditions of scholarship prescribed by the faculty, provided they also furnish such evidence of high scholarship in the institution from which they come as may, in the judgment of the faculty, entitle them to become candidates for honors under the regulations.

The Office of Special Programs provides reasonable accommodations to students with documented disabilities. It is the student’s responsibility to notify the Coordinator of Academic Support in the Special Programs Office, Centennial Hall Room 105, and to provide documentation of the disability. Union College recommends and encourages students to provide documentation either prior to or as early as possible in the semester. This will enable the Coordinator to confer with the student as soon as possible to discuss the options available to provide reasonable accommodation of the disability.

Financial Aid Eligibility for Academic Probation and Suspension (top)

The “50% rule” states that a student must satisfactorily complete one half of the credit hours attempted based on enrollment at the conclusion of the drop/add period.  “Satisfactory” completion means the student receives no grades of I, W, or F.  If a student receives an “I” and completes that incomplete prior to the last day of registration of the next semester, the student may petition the Committee to have previously withdrawn financial aid reinstated.

A freshman that fails to complete 50% of his/her hours in the first semester of attendance has one additional semester to make satisfactory progress before financial aid is withdrawn.  A letter or warning is sent.

A sophomore, junior or senior who fails to complete 50% of his/her hours but whose cumulative GPA is acceptable for their class standing can retain financial aid for an additional semester.  A second consecutive semester of failing to complete 50% of his/her credit hours would result in the withdrawal of financial aid. 

A student who has financial aid withdrawn because he/she did not meet the 50% rule or because of academic probation status must successfully complete 9 credit hours the next semester and demonstrate that satisfactory progress is being made toward the degree.  The committee will evaluate this progress each semester.  Such a student may petition the committee to have financial aid reinstated.

Decisions on financial aid recipients who may be placed on academic probation or who are currently on probation are not reviewed in December of the fall semester.  The status of these students will be reviewed annually at the May meeting of the Admissions and Academic Standing Committee.

Freshman Seminar  (top)

Union College requires all full-time incoming freshmen and transfer students with less than 12 credit hours to take the Freshman Seminar course. Classes for this one-hour course meet twice per week. The goal of this course is to maximize the student’s potential to achieve academic success and to adjust responsibility to the individual and interpersonal challenges presented by collegiate life. Each course will cover a variety of topics considered essential to meeting this goal.

Grade Appeal (top)

Students are entitled to redress any grievances relative to grades. Students have one year in which to question any grade on their transcript. After that time the grade is permanent. Please refer to the student handbook or contact the Office of Academic Affairs.

Grading System and Quality Points  (top)

Marks are reported in letters as follows:

• A — Represents distinctly superior work, valued at four quality points for each semester hour
• B — Represents above-average work, valued at three quality points for each semester hour
• C — Represents average work, valued at two quality points for each semester hour
• Cr —Indicates that a course has been passed satisfactorily
• D — Represents inferior but passing work, valued at one quality point for each semester hour
• F — Indicates failure with 0 credits and 0 quality points for each semester hour or failure to officially withdraw from a course Beginning with the 1995-96 academic year, plus or minus may be added to the final grades and appear on the transcript; however, that will not affect the grade point average.
• W — Indicates that a student withdrew during the first 12 weeks of the semester
• I — Indicates that in the opinion of the instructor, the student has not been able to complete the required work of the course on time due to unavoidable circumstances. This grade is issued solely at the discretion of the instructor. A grade of “I” submitted to the Registrar must be accompanied by a written statement from the course instructor which includes: 1) why the “I” was given; 2) the requirements that must be met by the student to remove the “I”; 3) the deadline the student has for meeting these requirements, and 4) the consequences of the student failing to meet these requirements by the deadline. The Registrar will send a copy of this statement to the student. An “I” received at the end of any semester must be removed before the end of the six month period following the date on which the “I” was issued. Any extension to the six-month time limit must be made by agreement of the Instructor, Department Chair, Registrar and Vice President for Academic Affairs.

Graduation Requirements  (top)

Students must apply for graduation the semester before they plan to complete graduation requirements.

The candidates must satisfy the following requirements:

1. Minimum of 128 semester hours, of which at least 25 percent (32 semester hours) must be earned at Union College.
2. Thirty two of the last 38 hours must be earned in residence at Union College.
3. Students who have earned as many as 61 semester hours at Union College may graduate with 18 of the last 24 hours earned in residence. (At least 39 semester hours must be in courses numbers 300 or above.)
4. Quality point standing of 2.00 overall and at Union, and a 2.00 average in the major or minor fields unless a specific department requires a higher grade point average.
5. Completion of the Liberal Education Core or Transfer Core.
6. 39 semester hours offered for graduation must be earned in courses numbered 300 or above.
7. 6 semester hours 300 and above, earned at Union, must be included in any minor. 
8. 12 semester hours 300 and above (evenly distributed in the two fields if this is a combined major), earned at Union, must be included in a 30-hour major
9. 18 semester hours 300 and above earned at Union must be included in an area or 54-hour major.
10. Participation in annual Assessment Day testing activities is required each year of all senior students.

Advice in arranging schedules and choosing courses is always given gladly; however, each student is responsible for completing all requirements.

Honor Students (top)

Union College recognizes excellent scholarship in three ways: the Dean’s List, the Presidential Laureates and graduation with honors.

The Dean’s List is comprised of those students who have completed at least 15 hours of graded work with a 3.33 grade point average and no grades of “I” for the semester, and no grades of “C” or below for the semester. This list is published after the fall and spring semesters.

Presidential Laureates are those students who meet all requirements for the Dean’s List and achieve at least a 3.75 grade point average for two successive semesters, with at least 15 hours of graded work, no grades of “I,” and no grades of “C” or below in either semester. The list of students designated as Presidential Laureates is published after the fall and spring semester.

Incomplete Grades (top)

Courses in which a student received a grade of "I" must be completed within the following semester, excluding summer sessions; otherwise these grades become "F".  The responsibility rests with the student in making up the work required within the allotted time.

Quality Point Standing (top)

The quality point standing of a student is determined by dividing the total quality points earned by the total number of semester hours registered minus the number of hours of Credit and Incomplete recorded.

Classification of Students

Freshman - less than 32 semester hours

Sophomore - 32 semester hours

Junior - 64 semester hours

Senior - 96 semester hours

Note: Failure or quality point deficiencies in any course work done in residence cannot be removed by transfer credit, correspondence work or independent study.

Classification of Students and Minimum GPA   (top)

     UNION COLLEGE’S DEFINITION

     Freshman              less than 32 semester hours               1.8

     Sophomore            32 semester hours                             1.9

     Junior                    64 semester hours                             2.0

     Senior                    96 semester hours                             2.0

Transfer Credit for Union College Students (top)

A student at Union College who wishes to take course work at another accredited college or university must obtain written permission from the Registrar before enrolling in the course. Union College students cannot register for more than a total of 18 semester hours per term, including all off-campus courses, without the consent of the Vice President for Academic Affairs.

Failure or quality point deficiencies in any course work done at Union College cannot be removed by transfer credit, correspondence work, or independent study. Transfer work does not affect a student’s Union College grade point average.

Students who have earned as many as 61 semester hours at Union College may transfer a maximum of six semester hours during their final 24 hours of baccalaureate work. Students who have earned fewer than 60 hours credit at Union College may transfer a maximum of six semester hours to Union during their final 38 hours.

Transfer credits will be considered based on the following policy:

1. Transfer credits from other institutions will be evaluated on how closely they match the intent of a particular section of the Union College Liberal Education Core, a major, minor, or area. The initial review will be conducted by the Office of the Registrar based on generally accepted practices, and in consultation with the appropriate department chair when questions arise.
2. Students who are denied equivalency credit for a course in the Union College Liberal Education Core, or a course required in a major, area of concentration, or minor will have the right to petition for approval. The petition will be made to the Registrar, who will consult with the appropriate department chair. Department chairs will consult with the appropriate professor before making a recommendation to the Registrar.
3. The student will have the right to appeal the decision to the Vice President for Academic Affairs in the event that the initial petition is denied. The decision of the Vice President for Academic Affairs shall be binding, and may be made on the basis as an exception to a general rule due to special circumstances, or may be issued as a precedent to guide future transfer credit evaluations.

Withdrawal from Courses / The College (top)

Withdrawal does not happen automatically when a student stops attending a class. Official withdrawals are made only on forms provided by the Registrar’s office. It is the student’s responsibility to complete this form, obtain the signatures needed, and return it to the Registrar’s office. Failure on the part of a student to complete the withdrawal procedure will result in a grade of “F” for the term.

Note: The last day to withdraw from the college or from all courses for a given semester is also the last day to withdraw from a course with a grade of “W.” The date for such withdrawals varies from year to year, but is noted in the Academic Calendar at the back of this catalog.