F.2.1 Mode of Delivery.
Courses at the University of Arkansas - Fort Smith may be delivered as face-to-face courses, web-enhanced courses, hybrid courses, alternating hybrid courses, full online courses, or synchronous online courses. Faculty should be aware the students are charged an additional fee for hybrid, full online, synchronous online, and alternating hybrid courses. Faculty are expected to use the supported learning management system (Blackboard 9.1) for all online courses, and therefore, faculty wanting to teach web-enhanced, hybrid, alternating hybrid, full online, or synchronous online courses must first go through Blackboard 9.1 training.
F.2.1.1 Face-to-Face Course.
Students attend all class meetings on site or on campus.
Examinations and final evaluative assessments must be completed in the classroom.
No additional fee will be charged for face to face courses.
F.2.1.2 Web-Enhanced Course.
Follows the requirements for a face-to-face course with some course materials available online such as the syllabus, calendar, announcements and lectures.
Assignments and quizzes may be online.
Grades may be available online in the LMS’s grade center.
F.2.1.3 Hybrid Course.
Listed as HYBRID in the class schedule.
On-site class meeting times are reduced by at least one-third.
Most class assignments, discussions, projects, and quizzes are available online.
Grades are reported in the LMS’s Grade Center.
F.2.1.4 Alternating Hybrid Course.
Alternating hybrid courses involve some combination of face-to-face and online (synchronous and/or asynchronous) sessions such that the on-campus or on-site requirements are reduced. Instructors will notify students about how the class sessions will be made available; however, the scheduled times represent the possible times for virtual or physical sessions.
Listed as ALT HYBRID in the class schedule with all class meetings listed.
The majority of course materials are online.
The instruction reduces physical class meetings for any one student by at least one-third.
Grades are reported in the LMS’s Grade Center.
F.2.1.5 Full Online Course.
Listed as FULL ONLINE in class schedule.
Full online courses have course materials, class assignments, discussions, projects, and quizzes online.
Students are not required to attend classes on campus for full online classes.
Faculty are required to have online office hours posted in the course syllabus.
Grades are reported in the LMS’s Grade Center.
F.2.1.6 Synchronous Online Course.
Listed as SYNC ONLINE in class schedule.
Synchronous online courses have course materials, class assignments, discussions, projects, and quizzes online.
Students are required to attend virtual class sessions as listed in the schedule of classes.
Faculty are required to have online office hours posted in the course syllabus.
Grades are reported in the LMS’s Grade Center.
Senate Resolution Link
F.2.1 Updated/Added 2021
F.2.2 Faculty Availability to Students Outside of Class.
The number and type of office hours will be determined by the faculty member. Full-time faculty must include in their syllabi an availability policy. This policy will state the times that faculty will be available to students outside of class hours and the means by which faculty will be available during those times. Means of availability will be determined by the faculty member and may include, but not limited to, a combination of such means as face-to-face traditional “office hours,” virtual “office hours,” and email.
Senate Resolution Link
F.2.1 Updated May 2021
F.2.3 Syllabus.
F.2.3.1 General Syllabus.
The general syllabus for each course will follow the format approved by the Curriculum Committee. This document is intended to be a statement of general course content and is not subject to change when the section, semester, instructor, or textbook changes. These general syllabi will be on file for every course and should be made available to students and other interested individuals via the internet. Students must be made aware of the existence of these syllabi, and all sections of the course must adhere to the information contained in the general syllabus for that course.
F.2.3.2 Section Syllabus.
The Section Syllabus/Conduct of Course Policies include additional policies, procedures, and information specific to a particular section of a course taught by a specific instructor in a specific semester. These policies are to be distributed to students during the first week of class. They may take the form of printed paper handouts, Blackboard pages, webpages, emailed documents, or some combination of the above. The organization and format of these materials is a matter of academic freedom and is left up to the individual instructor. These policies may not conflict with university or college policies nor with the general syllabus for the course. Each instructor will make this information available to his/her immediate supervisor as well as to all students in the section.
The following lists the required information that is to be included in Section Syllabus/Conduct of Course Policy documents. Individual colleges, departments, or instructors may add to this basic list.
- Instructor contact information
- Name
- Office number and location
- Phone number(s)
- E-mail address
- Office hours
- Blackboard site, course site, webpage, etc. if applicable
- Course name and number
- Required materials
- Textbooks
- Additional books or readings
- Required technology, equipment, and software
- Other required materials
- Optional/Recommended materials
- Grading policy/scale
- Attendance policy including policy on missed or late assignments
- Outline of course topics
In addition it is recommended that reference to applicable university policies be made. These should include policies concerning student standards of conduct, academic integrity, ADA accommodations, and FERPA information.
The document should also contain a statement indicating the instructor’s right to make changes to the policies as necessary during the course of the semester. If a faculty member must alter or amend the course conduct policies, the students should be notified of the changes.
Senate Resolution Link
F.2.2 Reorganized January 2021
F.2.4 Attendance Policy.
All faculty should include in their syllabi the attendance policy for each class. The syllabus and policy should be distributed to students at the beginning of each semester. Faculty should determine the attendance-taking processes that align with their courses, discipline, and pedagogy.
Senate Resolution Link
F.2.4.1 Non-Attending Reports.
Faculty are required to report any student who is non-attending in their respective courses each semester. This is necessary for two reasons. First, UAFS needs to ensure that census day reporting to ADHE is accurate and does not include non-attending students. Second, federal regulations prohibit disbursement of federal financial aid to students who are not attending. To accomplish this each instructor is asked to submit a roster for each course by 5 p.m. on the Friday of the first week of the semester. Students are NOT dropped when marked as non-attending in individual courses. A student will be dropped only when marked as non-attending by all instructors. For full online courses or hybrid courses that have not met during the first week of the semester, “attendance” is considered as actively participating or engaging in the online content. Simply logging in to the course is not considered attendance.
F.2.4 Reorganized January 2021
F.2.5 Final Exams.
Final evaluative components are determined by the faculty member. Face-to-face courses have final exams and final evaluative assessments in the classroom. Hybrid and alternative hybrid may have exams and final evaluative assessments in the classroom or online. Classroom examinations will be determined by the final examination schedule. Full online and synchronous online courses have exams and final evaluative assessments online. Synchronous online courses may have exams at a set time based on the final examination schedule. Full online courses have asynchronous examination times based on the final examination schedule. Faculty teaching hybrid or alternative hybrid courses may choose to have exams completed in a proctored environment (face-to-face or virtual) or employ another method that best fits their pedagogical practices such as a take-home or open-book exam. Faculty teaching synchronous or asynchronous full online courses may choose to have exams completed in a proctored virtual environment or employ another method that best fits their pedagogical practices such as a take-home or open-book exam.
Final exam schedules should be submitted to Faculty Senate for review, comment, and possible changes. Spring final exam schedules should be submitted to Faculty Senate ahead of their October meeting, and fall final exam schedules should be submitted to Faculty Senate ahead of their March meeting. Finalized versions will be distributed to all faculty, including adjuncts who have classes scheduled by Nov. 1, for the spring final exam schedule, and May 1, for the fall final exam schedule. New, visiting, and adjunct faculty assigned classes after these dates will be given the relevant final exam schedule as soon as possible. The final exam schedule published to the website for public use should be published by Aug. 1, for the fall final exam schedule, and Jan. 3, for the spring final exam schedule.
Senate Resolution Link
F.2.5 Updated August 2021
F.2.6 ADA.
UAFS makes every effort to offer equal educational opportunities for all students. To ensure a total university experience for students with disabilities, UAFS seeks to provide reasonable accommodations and services to students who have been determined to have a physical, emotional, or learning disability. The underlying philosophy of the program is to provide support, where possible, that will maximize each student’s opportunities for academic success. For more information see the ADA Handbook for Faculty/Staff under Faculty or Staff on My.UAFS.
F.2.6 Reorganized January 2021
F.2.7 GPA, Grades, and Grading Records.
F.2.7.1 GPA Definitions.
- Cumulative GPA - includes all credit, wherever and however earned
- Institutional cumulative GPA - includes all credit earned at the University of Arkansas at Fort Smith, including any concurrent credit earned at UAFS
- Term GPA - includes all credit earned at UAFS during the Fall, Spring, or Summer term
- Transfer GPA - includes all credit earned outside of UAFS
F.2.7.2 Mid-term Grades.
Mid-term grades are due from the faculty for full semester at the midpoint of each fall and spring semester. Instructors are expected to submit all mid-term grades by the date/time posted for the given semester. All grades are submitted electronically via Banner Self-Service (BSS).
F.2.7.3 Final Grades.
Final grades are due from the faculty at the conclusion of every semester. Instructors are expected to submit all final grades by the date/time posted for the given semester. All grades are submitted electronically via Banner Self-Service (BSS) or Blackboard (Bb). The final date of attendance must be entered for an F grade. (Last dates of attendance should not be entered for any other grade including grades of F or W.)
F.2.7.4 In-Progress Grade Contract.
At the end of any semester, an instructor may assign a grade of in-progress (IP) if extenuating circumstances have prevented the student from completing all course requirements. An IP grade is appropriate ONLY in situations where the student has completed at least 75 percent of the course requirements based on the professional judgment of the instructor. Any exceptions to this requirement must be approved by the provost. The instructor shall make a professional judgment on a case-by-case basis concerning the efficacy of assigning an IP grade.
If a grade of IP is to be assigned, the instructor will make a written contract with the student, list work to be completed, and provide a specific date for completion of the course work. The IP contract should be signed by the student, instructor, and dean (or dean’s designee). The instructor will then file the contract with the Registrar’s Office. The Registrar’s Office will enter the IP grade for the student.
If the remaining course requirements are not completed by the end of the subsequent spring or fall semester and a final grade has not been assigned by the instructor, the IP grade will be changed to an F. If the contract on file in the Registrar’s Office has a later completion date, that contract date is the final deadline for assigning a final grade. The IP contract cannot be extended beyond the original date without permission of the dean.
In instances when extenuating circumstances prevent the instructor and student from completing the IP contract before the end of the course, the instructor should email the registrar and copy the dean with a request to assign an IP grade (e.g., a student is hospitalized just prior to the final exam and is not available to come to campus to sign the paperwork). The request should include the reason why the instructor could not complete the IP contract with the student. The instructor and student will be expected to complete an IP contract as soon as circumstances allow with the completed contract forwarded to the Registrar’s Office.
F.2.7.5 Calculation of GPA for Honors.
All grades earned (excluding developmental coursework, courses for which academic clemency has been granted, and credits earned in the semester preceding graduation) must be included in the calculation for the GPA for honors. This calculation would include repeated courses at UAFS as well as repeated courses transferred from another institution.
Senate Resolution Link & Senate Resoution Link
F.2.7 Updated May 2024
F.2.8 Academic Early Alert.
Progress reports, alerts, and cases help identify all students that are at risk of doing poorly in classes. Faculty are encouraged to use the progress report campaigns during select weeks of the semester to initiate an email or document a concern for any student. You can also issue a stand-alone alert anytime during the semester on a student or advisee that you believe needs additional help. Please see Academic Affairs: Academic Early Alert on My.UAFS for more information.
F.2.8 Reorganized January 2021
F.2.9 FERPA.
The Family and Educational Rights and Privacy Act, also known as FERPA or the Buckley Amendment, is a federal law that governs the confidentiality of student records. The act prohibits, with certain limited exceptions, the release of information from a student’s educational records unless the student has given written consent. The act also ensures that students have certain rights with respect to their education records and access to those records and that they have the opportunity to correct erroneous records. FERPA regulations apply to all student records including student employment records for individuals employed in any capacity where school attendance is a condition of employment, i.e., work-study program.
Unless a currently enrolled student has directed the university to withhold disclosure of “directory information,” that information may be released to the public without the permission of the student. UAFS has defined directory information as the student’s name, address, major field of study, participation in officially recognized activities and sports, weight and height of members of athletic teams, degrees and awards received, telephone listing, electronic mail address, photograph, date and place of birth, dates of attendance, grade level, enrollment status (i.e., undergraduate or graduate; full or part time), honors received, and most recent educational agency or institution attended. It is important to note that the institution, at its sole discretion, designates what is considered “directory information” as well as what is released in each circumstance. As a general rule, no other information in an education record can be disclosed without consent of the student. Students may request that UAFS not release directory information by completing the proper form and submitting it to the Registrar’s Office. Do not assume that it is okay to release any information without contacting the Registrar’s Office.
Educational records and personal information may be released under other special circumstances and conditions, i.e., in response to a judicial subpoena of records or in emergency situations. All inquiries should be referred to the Registrar’s Office. For more information contact the registrar at 479-788-7407 or refer to the Student Handbook available online at My.UAFS.
F.2.9 Reorganized January 2021
F.2.10 Textbook and Course Material Policies.
F.2.10.1 Textbook and Course Material Adoption. (Act 175)
This legislation requires that, for each full semester and collectively for summer sessions, the university shall distribute a list of all textbooks and course materials required or assigned for an undergraduate course by publication on its website and posting at its bookstore. The UAFS bookstore will be the central repository for all textbook and course material adoption information and for compliance with the legislation. This information will be shared with competing local bookstores and placed on the university website.
Faculty members are required by this legislation to choose and report their choices of textbooks and course materials to the bookstore no later than noon on April 1 for summer and fall semester courses and no later than noon on Nov. 1 for spring semester courses. For each textbook or course material on the list provided to the bookstore, the faculty member shall include the following: a brief description of the textbook or course material, the author or authors, the title and edition, and any special instructions or circumstances for the purchase or use of the textbook or course material.
F.2.10.2 Adoption Guidelines.
Faculty should try to adopt the same textbook for the same course for both the fall and spring semesters. Faculty should double check that the textbooks and materials requested can be sold in the bookstore due to financial aid use and contracts. Faculty should also double check on the bookstore website and in the bookstore that the textbook and materials ordered for their classes are correct.
F.2.10.3 Late Adoptions.
A textbook or course material for an undergraduate course may be adopted after the time specified above if the adoption is approved by the department head and the dean of the affected college and the dean of the college forwards to the provost’s office the following information: a list of late adoptions, the names of the person or persons responsible for each late adoption, and a written statement explaining why each adoption was late.
F.2.10.4 Other Textbook and Course Materials Policies.
F.2.10.4.1 Inducements Act. (Act 105)
Acceptance of inducements (such as a gift, payment, loan, subscription, advance, deposit of money, or services) to require specific textbooks is prohibited by this legislation. Not included as inducements are the following: sample copies, instructor’s copies, instructional materials for a textbook, or royalties or other compensation from the sale or publication of a textbook that includes the employee’s own writing or work.
A violation of this policy shall be reported within 10 business days of discovery to the provost and the chief legal counsel of the university and to the legislative council. A violation may be reported to these same parties by any business or consumer.
F.2.10.4.2 Prohibition of Referrals. (Act 277)
Consistent with this legislation, the university may not place or permit to be placed on its website or its bookstore’s website a link to the website of a retailer of textbooks or other educational materials if the retailer of textbooks or other educational materials is not required to report and pay Arkansas sales and use taxes and does not obtain a use tax permit from the Department of Finance and Administration and report and pay Arkansas sales and use taxes on sales of textbooks and other educational materials to residents of this state. Nothing in this section prevents a faculty member from referring students to any source for required or suggested textbooks or course materials.
F.2.10.4.3 Regulation of the Use of Royalties from the Sale of Textbooks and Educational Materials. (Act 106)
F.2.10.4.3.1 Financial Benefit to Instructor from Student Materials: Conflict of Interest Resolution. Consistent with University of Arkansas Board of Trustees policy 450.1, full-time faculty and non-classified administrative staff members may engage in limited and specifically approved outside employment for compensation provided this employment does not interfere with the employee’s duties (such as by creating a conflict of interest or commitment) and provided that the employee receives written approval from their department head and/or dean in advance of the employment. Similarly, employees planning to engage in outside employment must disclose by means of the appropriate form any relationships or activities which might give rise to conflicts, or the appearance thereof, with their duties, responsibilities, or obligations to UAFS.
Faculty members who derive direct or indirect financial benefit from materials required to be used by their students are engaged in outside employment for compensation that constitutes a conflict of interest. Procedures required to address that conflict of interest are as follows
F.2.10.4.3.2 Required Compliance Procedures. Faculty members must disclose the conflict of interest in writing and obtain prior written approval from their department head/chair and dean to require the purchase of their own proprietary materials by their students or to require the purchase of any other materials for which the faculty member receives compensation (including, but not limited to, publishers’ incentive payments).
The request for approval must include a description of the material(s) and a justification for their use.
The request must state the provision made for disposition of payments, revenues, and royalties from the sales of the material(s). These revenues must be paid to a unit not directly related to or associated with the faculty member, but one (e.g., college or school) that will benefit students academically at UAFS.
Consistent with the deadline for reporting outside employment (report to dean before Sept. 15), faculty members must provide a satisfactory accounting of remuneration and disposition of payments, revenues, and royalties acceptable to their dean relative to materials required for student purchase during the preceding year.
NOTE: The required compliance procedures do not apply to faculty members teaching only in non-credit courses and programs.
F.2.10.4.4 Textbook Sale and Resale.
University employees whose positions require (or allow) participation in the selection process of textbooks or any materials from which the employee might personally gain will completely withdraw from such processes by not participating in any discussion or by not voting on any recommendations related thereto. Employees may not participate, directly or indirectly, in activities that relate to or consist of the sale or exchange of complimentary textbooks, software, laboratory manuals, or other educationally related items.
Senate Resolution Link
F.2.10 Updated/Added January 2021
F.2.11 Blackboard Learn.
Blackboard Learn is a learning management system (LMS). The Learn system contains many features common to learning management systems, including content and file management tools, assessments, assignments, discussions, announcements, calendar, and a grade management tool. The system also includes SafeAssign for checking sources and identifying potential plagiarism in written assignments. Users can also do online web conferencing with Collaborate. Faculty must complete training in Blackboard Learn. Please see the Blackboard Learn 9.1 Manual for UAFS for more information.
F.2.11.1 Blackboard Ally.
Blackboard Ally is a tool designed to help faculty make their content more universally accessible and provide a consistent experience across the system.
F.2.11 Updated June 2024
F.2.12 Testing.
F.2.12.1 Academic Success Center (ASC).
The Gordon Kelley Academic Success Center’s goal is to help students become independent and efficient learners so they are better equipped to meet the University’s academic standards and successfully attain their own educational goals. The ASC administers proctored exams for:
- Third Party assessment for Accuplacer, CLEP, MAT, and PSB Exams
- In-person testing (by appointment only) for online UAFS courses.
To ensure that all exams are administered under the correct testing conditions, please include either the WEB Test Intake Form or MAKE-UP Test Intake Form.
F. 2.12.2.1 Updated February 2021.
F.2.12.2 Examity.
Examity is the online test proctoring service used at UAFS for exams in full online, synchronous online, hybrid, and alternating hybrid courses. If you are giving computerized tests in an eligible class (through Blackboard, for example), you can use Examity to proctor up to four (4) exams each semester. You may not use the resource for face-to-face classes or for makeup tests (if you have already given the exam through Examity once). Faculty who wish to use Examity must be trained through Instructional Support. For more information on Examity, please see the Examity Guide. If students have trouble with an exam session in Examity, do not send them to the ASC to test. Students should contact Examity Support at 855-392-6489, via email to support@examity.com or through the live chat feature in the platform and reschedule/complete the test as soon as possible subject to the charges as outlined above.
F.2.12.3 Respondus Lockdown.
This software is a specialized web browser found in all lab computers at UAFS (including the ASC lab). The browser prevents students from accessing other software and computer resources during tests. Instructors must set a test to require the Lockdown browser. This requirement means that the student will not be able to begin the test unless they are using that browser. You cannot use the Respondus Lockdown browser with Examity.
F.2.12.4 Remote Proctoring.
Final examinations for distance learning courses must be proctored on campus in the ASC or off campus in pre-approved examination sites. When examinations are administered off campus, the following guidelines apply:
- The student, in collaboration with the faculty, is responsible for securing the off-campus examination site.
- Examination sites must be approved in advance by the faculty teaching the course with faculty notification to the dean. Alternate examination procedures must be approved in advance by the dean.
- Approved sites may include other institutions of higher learning, secondary schools, and for-profit examination centers.
- Proctors at an approved site must certify that the examination was completed under supervision.
- The student is responsible for any costs incurred for testing at an off-campus site.
Please see F.2.5 Final Exams for more details.
F.2.12 Reorganized January 2021
F.2.12.5 ADA Testing.
All on-campus proctoring for students with testing accommodations occurs in the ADA office. Students who need to use their accommodations for testing will contact the ADA office to schedule a time, and the instructor will send the test to the ADA coordinator along with the ADA Test Intake Form. For classes using Examity or other remote proctoring options, the student is responsible for finding their own quiet location to test, and the instructor is responsible for giving the student extended time in the testing format they are using.
F.2.12.5 Added February 2021
F.2.13 Academic Policies for Students.
F.2.13.1 Registration, Adds, Drops, and Withdrawals.
F.2.13.1.1 Registration.
Course schedules are published on Oct. 1 for spring and summer semesters and on March 1 for the fall semester. Students will register for courses during the registration periods posted on the academic calendar for the respective semester. Priority for registration is based on the number of hours complete, with seniors first, followed by juniors, sophomores, and then freshman. Registration for each group will continue until the start of the semester. After meeting with their advisor, students will register via web registration. Certain populations, such as students on academic probation or returning from academic suspension, are registered manually by the advisor or Registrar’s Office.
F.2.13.1.2 Adding and Dropping Classes.
After initial registration, students may add/drop courses via web registration or a Change of Schedule Form. Student who wish to drop/withdraw from a class or change classes are governed by the following:
- Drops through the 11th day of full-semester fall and spring courses and fifth day of the summer terms are not recorded on the student’s permanent record.
- Full-semester spring and fall courses dropped before the semester begins and during the first week for the semester are given a 100 percent refund. Beginning in the second week and until the 11th class day (census date), courses are dropped at the 50-percent rate. Courses withdrawn after the 11th day are not refunded. Refunds for shorter courses, such as eight-week courses, will be calculated on a prorated basis of a regular semester course.
- Summer courses dropped before the term begins and during the first two days are given a 100 percent refund. Beginning on the third day and until the fifth class day (census date), courses are dropped at the 50-percent rate. Courses withdrawn after the fifth day are not refunded.
- Students withdrawing from a credit course prior to 5 p.m. on the posted last day to withdraw (usually the Friday of the 12th week of the semester) of the fall or spring semester will receive a W on their permanent record. Shorter courses will have a posted withdraw date on or around three-quarters of the part of term completed (e.g., the last day to drop an eight-week course will be the Friday of the sixth week of the course).
- Summer term students withdrawing from a credit class prior to 5 p.m. on the posted last day to withdraw will receive a W on their permanent record. The posted last day to withdraw will be on or around three-quarters of the part of term completed (e.g. the last day to drop a five-week course will be Friday of the fourth week of the course).
NOTE: A course is considered to be dropped when the request is made on or before the census date of the given semester (11th day for spring/fall or fifth day for summer). A course is considered to be withdrawn when the request is made after the census date of the given semester.
F.2.13.1.3 Dropping/Adding Courses Before the Semester Begins.
Students with web registration access may add or drop classes prior to the start of the semester via My.UAFS. Students without web registration access may drop through an advisor and the Registrar’s Office.
F.2.13.1.4 Dropping/Adding Courses During the Schedule Adjustment Period (First Week of Semester).
Students with web registration access may add or drop classes via web registration on My.UAFS during the first week of the semester (schedule adjustment period). Web registration access will end at 5 p.m. on the Friday of the first week of the semester.
F.2.13.1.5 Withdrawing from a Course(s) After the Schedule Adjustment Period.
Students must submit a request to withdraw from a course(s) online via My.UAFS after the schedule adjustment period. The request is reviewed and course(s) withdrawn by the student’s professional advisor (freshmen) or college advising coordinator of the student’s major. The student will receive an email when the course withdrawal is complete.
F.2.13.1.6 Administrative Withdrawal.
When absences exceed the number allowed by the instructor if the class, the instructor has the authority to give the student a grade of F at the end of the semester or to drop the student from the class within the withdrawal period by the following procedure:
- The instructor notifies or attempts to notify the student of their attendance status.
- The student is given the opportunity to discuss their status with the instructor.
- If attendance is subsequently unsatisfactory, the instructor may then drop the student from the class by notifying the Registrar’s Office by the submission of the Withdrawal/Reinstatement Form. The instructor is required to note the last date of attendance (for traditional courses) or active participation (for online courses) on this form.
In instances of clear non-attendance and repeated instances of non-response to attempts to contact the student, the Registrar’s Office may drop the student from any course in which the student has not attended or stopped attending.
These procedures do not remove the primary responsibility of the student for taking official withdrawal action nor do they remove the student obligation to pay all tuition and fees for the withdrawn course.
Students dropped by a faculty member or Registrar’s Office receive a W through the 12th week of a regular semester and the seventh week of the summer term. Courses dropped by a faculty member or the Registrar’s Office may be subject to return of Title IV funds.
Withdrawals will end on Friday of the 12th week of the regular semesters and the seventh week of the summer term. Courses which do not correspond to these time frames will be handled on a prorated basis.
F.2.13.1 Reorganized January 2021
F.2.13.2 Grades and Grade Issues.
F.2.13.2.1 Grade Forgiveness Policy.
Students may elect to repeat courses for credit as they deem necessary; however, course hours will be applied only one time toward graduation requirements. Beginning in fall of 2018, grade replacement (the exclusion of individual course grades) will not be applied to all repeated courses. Grade replacement will only be allowed as follows:
- On four (4) courses or 12 hours, whichever comes first. The first attempt and the grade earned will be recorded on the transcript as an “E” to denote that it has been excluded from the GPA. The grade replacement will occur automatically; however, students will have the ability to petition to exclude a course from the automatic grade replacement process.
- On courses in which the grades of C, D, or F were earned initially (no grade replacement permitted on courses with A or B grades earned).
- Can only be applied one (1) time to any given course (in which case the second and subsequent grades will all count in the GPA).
- In all other cases, all grades earned will be included in the calculation of the cumulative GPA. All courses are included as attempted hours for financial aid purposes.
- Grade replacement is eligible only for courses taken before the first baccalaureate degree is awarded.
- Courses repeated for purposes of grade replacement must be the exact course. Students may not use substitutions for repeated courses. The department chair, the appropriate college dean, and the registrar will determine the application of the grade replacement policy in those instances where UAFS course numbers and/or titles have been changed.
- Students considering grade replacement should be aware that many graduate schools, professional schools, employers, or other institutions, in considering admission or employment, recompute the GPA and include all courses attempted even though grade replacement has been granted. This means that if the cumulative GPA has been raised because of grade replacement, the recomputed GPA will be lower.
Senate Resolution Link
F.2.13.2.2 Academic Second Opportunity.
An undergraduate student who has been separated from UAFS for at least two (2) academic years may petition for readmission through Academic Second Opportunity. If the petition is approved, the student will be readmitted regardless of previous scholastic performance unless separation from the university resulted from academic misconduct. In cases of academic misconduct, readmission will be reviewed by the provost (or their designee). If the application for Academic Second Opportunity is accepted, all previous academic work remains on the student’s permanent record, but the grades for previous institutional work are not used in computing the GPA. Please see the Senate Resolution on Academic Second Opportunity for more details.
Senate Resolution Link
F.2.13.2.3 Academic Bankruptcy.
Academic bankruptcy involves a student’s request to retroactively withdraw from one academic term of study because of extreme personal, emotional, or financial circumstances so devastating that it was impossible for the student to perform academically at a level approximating the usual record of achievement. The summer sessions are considered one academic term. The following specific regulations apply to any petition for academic bankruptcy:
- Only currently enrolled students are eligible to request academic bankruptcy.
- Academic bankruptcy is never granted for the academic term in which the student is currently enrolled, nor for the immediately preceding academic term.
- Academic bankruptcy is only granted for coursework completed during an academic term at UAFS. Transfer and placement credits are not eligible for academic bankruptcy.
- Petitions must be filed prior to graduation.
- No more than one (1) petition for academic bankruptcy may be approved during the student’s academic career at UAFS.
- If the petition is approved, the grades for ALL courses taken during the academic term in question will be recorded as “W” (Withdrawn).
- The application for academic bankruptcy is filed in the Registrar’s Office.
Senate Resolution Link
F.2.13 Updated May 2024
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