Academic Policies And Procedures

Student Responsibility

Students are responsible for knowing and complying with the policies and procedures contained herein which govern all students.

Academic Advising

A master’s degree will require a minimum of 30 credit hours beyond the bachelor’s degree and consist of 5000- and 6000-level courses. Specific degree programs may vary in the total hours required and program requirements. It is vital that students work carefully with their assigned graduate advisor in planning their program of study. Students will sign a degree plan with their graduate advisor and review program and course requirements. Students will be required to meet each semester with their graduate advisor prior to registration to evaluate progress toward the degree, to ensure required paperwork is complete and deadlines are met. Ultimate responsibility to enroll in and complete degree requirements rests with the student. Students should not assume that courses taken at UAFS or elsewhere without prior advisor approval will apply to the degree. Any exceptions to the degree plan must be approved by the graduate advisor, the Program Director, and the Office of the Associate Provost for Academic Affairs.

Full-Time Enrollment Requirements

Students taking nine or more graduate credit hours per semester will be considered full-time students. Students will not register for more than 12 credit hours in a single semester. If students wish to enroll for more than 12 graduate credits, they must receive permission from the associate provost for Academic Affairs.

Registration

Once students have met with their graduate advisor, they will register online during the posted registration periods. For registration information, consult the Graduate Studies website for Registration and Class Schedule.

Students may change their schedule as needed during the registration period. Late registration may be permitted; however, if students need to register or change classes during the first week of the term, they must receive permission from the program director.

Withdrawal from Classes

Students may withdraw from classes prior to the start of the term via Web registration or through their graduate advisor. Once the term has started, students who wish to withdraw from a class or change classes are governed by the following policy:

1. Withdrawals through the 11th day of the fall/spring terms and fifth day of the summer terms are not recorded on the student’s permanent record.
2. During the first week of the fall and spring semesters and first two days of the summer term, students will receive a 100 percent tuition refund for a dropped course only if another course is simultaneously added with their graduate advisor. Any course(s) dropped without a corresponding add will be refunded according to the published refund policy
3. To withdraw after the 11th day of the fall/spring term or the fifth day of the summer term:
   1. Students are required to notify in writing via UAFS email their graduate advisor, the faculty member teaching the course to be dropped, and a financial aid representative in order to withdraw.
   2. Students may withdraw from the fall and spring full terms through 5 p.m. on Friday of the eighth week of the term. Students will receive a W on their permanent records. Students enrolled in short-term courses may withdraw through the 50 percent time frame of the course.
   3. Students may withdraw from a five-week summer course through 5 p.m. on Friday of the second week of the course. Students may withdraw from a ten-week summer course through 5 p.m. on Friday of the fifth week of the course. Students enrolled in short-term courses may withdraw through the 50 percent time frame of the course. Students will receive a W on their permanent record.
   4. Failure to attend and/or pay tuition does not constitute official withdrawal. Students who are on financial aid should check with the Financial Aid Office prior to withdrawing from a class. An appeal of the tuition and fee policy, drop dates and late payment fee must be made in writing to the registrar no later than the last day of classes of the term in question. Appeals must demonstrate extenuating circumstances that prevented the student from adhering to the specific withdrawal dates and deadlines in the registration calendar, and must include documentation in support of the appeal.

Grades

Final and midterm grades are accessible on the university’s intranet. Students can review and print unofficial copies of their current grades and transcripts. Only the final grade is posted on the official transcript.

The following grades are used in the grading system and with the following meanings and grade points per hour: A=Excellent (4), B=Good (3), C=Average (2), F=Failing (0), FX=Failing- Dishonesty (0), W=Withdraw (0), IP=In-Progress (0), CR=Credit (0), and AU=Audit (0).

In-Progress Grades

At the end of any semester, a faculty member may assign a grade of 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. The faculty member 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 assigned, the faculty member will make a written contract with the student, list work to be completed, and provide a specific date for completion of the coursework. The dean of the college must sign off on the IP grade contract. The faculty member will file the contract with the registrar.

If a final grade has not been assigned by the faculty member by the end of the next spring or fall term, the Records Office will automatically change the IP grade to a grade of F. However, if the contract on file in the Records Office has a later completion date, that contract date is the final deadline for changing an IP to a grade of F. The in-progress grade cannot be extended beyond the original date without the permission of the college dean.

Academic Grade Policy

Calculation of the GPA, or grade point average, includes all courses numbered 5000 and above taken at UAFS. A temporary grade (IP) and those courses for which no numerical equivalents are defined (CR) are excluded from the computation. Students may repeat a course one time. Only two C grades can count toward degree requirements. Credit hours earned will be counted only once toward graduation; however, the student’s official transcript will show all grades received, and the cumulative GPA will reflect all grades.

Academic Standing

Students are expected to maintain a 3.0 cumulative GPA for courses required in their program to be in good academic standing.

When a student’s cumulative graduate GPA falls below a 3.0 for completed courses numbered 5000 or above taken at UAFS, the student shall be placed on academic probation. The student will be returned to good standing when the overall graduate average has been raised to 3.0 or higher. Any student who receives three Cs will be dismissed from the program. 

Students will be notified in writing when they are placed on academic probation or dismissal.

Academic Dismissal by Program

Some programs may impose requirements beyond those of the Office of Graduate Studies for the maintenance of satisfactory academic standing. In any such case, the following requirements are made of the program:

• Specific program requirements are stated clearly in writing and given to each student enrolled in the program.
• For all programs, any student who receives three Cs will be dismissed from the program.
• Students may be dismissed without having been placed on probation. Notifications of dismissal must be made to the student in writing, explaining the reasons for the dismissal.
• A student can appeal a program dismissal by submitting a written appeal to the Office of Graduate Studies.

Graduate Council

The Graduate Council serves to advise the Associate Provost for Academic Affairs. The Graduate Council shall:

• Review graduate curriculum proposals
• Develop and monitor university-wide policies regarding admission, progression, and graduation of graduate students
• Review and assign graduate faculty status.

Graduate Council Membership:

• Associate Provost for Academic Affairs, Chair
• Three representatives from each college. Graduate Council representatives will serve for two-year staggered terms. Members of this council will be selected by the college dean and may be reappointed without restriction.

Other/Nonvoting Participants:

• Administrative support from the office of the Associate Provost for Academic Affairs/Director of Graduate Studies

Appeal Process

Students may appeal policy decisions. A letter of petition clearly stating the reason for the appeal must be addressed to the Graduate Appeals Committee, c/o the Office of the Associate Provost for Academic Affairs. The appeal must be received within seven business days from notification of the policy decision.

Grade Petitioning

A student who believes an error has been made in the assignment of a final grade must first contact the faculty member to resolve the issue(s). The student must initiate contact no later than the first week of the next term. Should the student remain dissatisfied, he or she may appeal to the program director and then to the dean of the college in which the course originates. If the dean disagrees with the prior responses, the dean will refer the matter to the Graduate Appeals Committee. The dean will respond to the student in writing within seven business days of receipt of the written appeal from the student, either denying the appeal or indicating that the appeal has been referred to the Graduate Appeals Committee. If the dean has upheld the faculty and program director’s response, the student may petition the Graduate Appeals Committee and should do so no later than ten business days from notification. Failure to act within that time period disqualifies the student from further pursuit of the matter.

The Graduate Appeals Committee shall be convened within 14 business days of receipt of the written petition. The committee shall submit its recommendation to the Associate Provost for Academic Affairs no later than 21 business days from receipt of the petition. The Associate Provost for Academic Affairs will notify the student of the decision within three business days. The student may make a final appeal to the Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs within seven business days upon receipt of the decision. The Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs will respond within seven business days with the final decision. The Grade Petition form is available on the Graduate Studies website.

Academic Honesty

UAFS is committed to helping students attain the highest level of academic achievement. That achievement is predicated on a foundation of scholastic integrity in all aspects of students’ academic work. This absolute standard of academic honesty lies at the heart of any pursuit of learning and the award of any degree or certificate. All students, faculty, and staff of UAFS are responsible for understanding and abiding by the academic honesty policy. The university supports faculty and staff in the good faith application of these policies as they conduct their official duties.

This policy is only one element of the university’s commitment to academic honesty; students will find this institutional value, and the practice of scholastic integrity, reflected in many ways in all university programs and services.

Academic dishonesty in any form, including using unauthorized materials, information, or study aids in any academic exercise; plagiarism; forgery; falsification of records; unauthorized possession of examinations; any and all other actions that may improperly affect the evaluation of a student’s academic performance or achievement; and the assistance of others in any such act, is forbidden.

A faculty member who has proof that a student is guilty of academic dishonesty must take appropriate action, up to and including, assigning the student a grade of F for the course and suspending the student from the class. The F will be the final  grade and the student will not be allowed to withdraw from the course with a W. A description of the incident and the action taken will be reported to the appropriate dean and will be placed in the student’s file in the Records Office.

The student may appeal either the finding of academic dishonesty or the penalty, or both, to the Graduate Appeals Committee within three (3) business days of notification. Upon appeal, a student will be allowed to continue in class until the appeal is adjudicated. The Graduate Appeals Committee acts as arbitrator in such situations, presenting its findings and recommendation to the Associate Provost for Academic Affairs for review. The Academic Honesty petition form is available on the Graduate Studies website.

In cases of repeated offenses, the Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs will take appropriate action, up to and including permanent suspension from the university. A copy of such action will be placed in the student’s file in the Records Office. Repeat incidents of academic dishonesty will result in the assignment of a grade of FX on the  transcript, clearly indicating the failing grade was the result of academic dishonesty.