Policies and Procedures

REGISTRATION
All students must register on the registration dates designated in the Academic Calendar. Students registering on the first day of late registration will pay a fee of $10.00; an additional $5.00 fee will be charged for each subsequent day of late registration. A student is not officially registered at Benedict College until he/she is financially cleared by the Business Office and has received the Admit to Class Form.

Students plan their course of study with a faculty adviser; final approval rests with the Department Chair and School Dean. A full-time student in good academic standing is required to take at least 12 credit hours, but no more than 19 credit hours per semester. However, the School Dean may, after considering the student's academic record and extracurricular activities, allow a student who has achieved a cumulative average of 3.6 or better in the preceding semester or who is a graduating senior in the final semester, to register for up to 22 credit hours per semester based on the individual student's record. Any student who receives approval to take more than 19 hours may be charged an additional fee per semester hour.

ENROLLMENT STATUS (FULL/PART-TIME)
To be considered full-time, a student must enroll for a minimum of twelve (12) semester credit hours each semester. Any student enrolled for less than (12) semester hours is considered a part-time student. Part-time students may be considered three-fourths time students if enrolled in nine (9) to eleven (11) semester credit hours and half-time if enrolled in six (6) to eight (8) semester credit hours.

FRESHMAN PLACEMENT TESTS
Entering Freshmen are required to take a battery of tests in writing, mathematics, and foreign language to help determine their optimum academic program. Prospective freshmen come to the campus on specified days to be tested.

COURSE CHANGES
A student may add a course up to the last day of registration. A student may drop a course up to the last day of classes or on a date designated in the applicable Academic Calendar. All course changes must be reported on the "Student Course Change Notice," which can be obtained from the Office of Enrollment Management, signed by the instructor(s) and approved by the faculty advisor. When the proper signatures have been secured, the form must be returned to the Office of Enrollment Management. Failure to drop a course officially will result in an "F" grade.

CLASS ATTENDANCE
Attendance in each class is counted from the first day the student is eligible to attend the class as given on the student's registration card or student change notice.

Students may be allowed excused absences for emergencies such as personal illness, severe family illness, death in the family, and court action. Students may obtain an excuse for the emergency absence from the Dean of Students upon presentation of satisfactory documentation. Students are required to present the excused absence to the faculty member at the next class period.

Students may be excused from classes to participate in college activities such as field trips, off-campus choir tours, dance and drama activities, ROTC, and athletic activities. The number of excused absences should not exceed the quality time that is necessary for the student to master the course content. Faculty are required to allow make-up work for such absences.

Obtaining an official excuse does not excuse a student from the assignments missed during the absence. Faculty are required to permit make-up work for allowed and excused absences.

Students are expected to attend all classes. However, students are allowed six (6) unexcused absences. Faculty are expected to inform students of their absences. If a student accumulates three (3) unexcused absences, the following actions are performed:

The Faculty informs the student that he/she has accumulated three (3) unexcused absences and gives the student a copy of the Early Warning Form.

The Faculty submits two copies of the Early Warning Form to the appropriate department chair who forwards one copy to the student's advisor and retains one copy.

The advisor and department chair hold a counseling session with the student and explain the full consequences of the attendance policy.

The student needs a statement from the department chair indicating that he/she has had a counseling session in reference to the attendance policy. Faculty should require students to present this statement before admitting them to class.

If a student accumulates six (6) unexcused absences, the faculty member informs the student and notifies the dean of the appropriate school. The dean warns the student that if he/she receives another unexcused absence, he/she will be administratively withdrawn from the class. The student must get a statement from the dean indicating that he/she has been counseled about the attendance policy. Faculty should require students to present a statement from the school dean before allowing them to re-enter the class.

If the student accumulates seven (7) unexcused absences, the faculty reports the student to the department chair. The department chair will administratively drop the student from the class. The student will receive a grade of WA.

If a student is administratively withdrawn (WA) from two (2) or more classes during any given semester because of poor attendance, he/she will be suspended from the College for the remainder of the applicable semester.

CLASS MEETING TIME
With the exception of laboratory courses and performance courses, classes meet 50 minutes per week per credit hour. A three credit hour course that meets only twice a week meets for 75 minutes each time.

AUDITING
Permission to audit a course may be obtained from the Office of Enrollment Management. The student must pay a course audit fee and obtain the approval of the instructor of the course, the Department Chair, and the School Dean.

GRADING SYSTEM
Benedict College uses the following system of grading.

Percent
Equivalent Quality Points
Per Credit Hour
A Superior 90-100 4
B
Very Good 80-89 3
C Acceptable 70-79 2
D Passing, but Weak 60-69 1
F Failure Below 60 0
I Incomplete 0
W Withdrew 0
AU Audit 0
WF Withdrawn while Failing 0
WA Withdrawn Administratively 0

NOTE: See also Success Equals Effort (SE2) Grading Policy.

STUDENT CODE OF ACADEMIC RESPONSIBILITY
Strength of character is as important as academic achievement; therefore the College expects everyone in the academic community to maintain personal integrity and avoid any conduct designed to gain unfair advantage in obtaining a grade. Academic dishonesty may include but is not limited to plagiarism, cheating, falsification of records, and collusion with others to defraud. Any student found guilty of academic dishonesty will be subject to disciplinary action which may include loss of credit, suspension, or dismissal.

INCOMPLETES
An Incomplete (I) is given, upon approval of the department chair, in exceptional cases when illness, excused absences, or other legitimate reasons prevent the student from taking the final examination or completing a major class project on time. A student may request an "I" grade from the instructor. A student must complete the required course work by approximately December 1 (for "I" grades received in Spring or Summer) or May 1 (for "I" grades received in the Fall Semester). An Incomplete which is not adjusted during this period becomes a Failure (F).

REPEATED COURSES
It is the policy of the College that a grade will not be removed from a student's record for repeated courses. When a course is repeated to raise a grade, the higher grade will be counted in computing the grade point average. Students who repeat a course must submit a "Notice of Repeated Course" form to the Office of Enrollment Management. A student may not repeat a course for credit in which a grade of C or better has been earned.

GRADE REPORTS
Grades for all course work are determined at the end of each semester or summer session. All students may receive copies of their grade reports. All students have a right to consult with faculty to verify the accuracy of their grades and to receive an explanation for the determination of their grades. Students may appeal or protest the grades assigned by the faculty member to the departmental chair, and school dean. If the student is not satisfied with the outcome, he/she may appeal to the Vice President for Academic Affairs. The President may review these decisions at his discretion.

TRANSCRIPTS
Transcripts of students' academic records are issued for students currently enrolled and to former students who left the College in good financial standing. Transcripts are issued without charge for currently enrolled students at fall and spring semester registration. At other times, enrolled students may request additional transcripts for a modest fee, payable in advance. One transcript prepared by the Registrar will be furnished without charge to graduates. Former students may request additional transcripts for a modest fee, payable in advance. Requesters should allow 5 working days from receipt of request for processing transcript requests. SEE ALSO Transcript Requests Process.

GRADE CHANGE POLICY
Under very strict conditions, faculty may change a grade assigned to a student . Upon approval, the grade is changed on the student's transcript by designated personnel in the Office of Enrollment Management.

The School Dean, Vice President for Academic Affairs, and the President may administratively change grades when, in their judgment, circumstances such as faculty error, unfairness, inconsistency, or violations of policy so justify.

Acceptable reasons for changing a student's grade are:

Completion of work required to remove Incompletes

A demonstrable error in the computation of a grade

A substantial error in the evaluation of student performance

Completion of course requirements not completed during preceding semester due to good cause such as illness, death in the family, military service, or other sufficient reason

Extraordinary circumstances as determined by the School Dean, the Vice President for Academic Affairs or the President.

All faculty initiated grade changes must be approved by the department chair and school dean.

QUALITY POINTS
Quality points determine rank in class, academic honors, and satisfactory progress. To graduate from Benedict, a student must complete at least 128 credit hours with a cumulative quality point average of at least 2.0.

The cumulative quality point or grade point average (GPA) is determined by dividing the total number of quality points earned by the total number of credit hours attempted.

CLASSIFICATION OF STUDENTS
Students are classified according to the number of credit hours completed. Classification is not necessarily related to the length of time in attendance at the College.

FRESHMAN - one who has completed up to 29 credit hours.

SOPHOMORE - one who has completed 30-59 credit hours.

JUNIOR - one who has completed 60-89 credit hours.

SENIOR - one who has completed 90 or more credit hours.

WITHDRAWALS
A student may withdraw officially from the College up to two weeks before the end of the semester.

A student withdrawing from the College is required to file, in the Office of Enrollment Management, a withdrawal form signed by the proper College officials as indicated on the withdrawal form. In such a case an official withdrawal is noted on the student's record.

If a student withdraws unofficially, (i.e., without filing a withdrawal form) he will receive an "F" as the final grade in each course. If the facts of his/her withdrawal are not known and grades of "F" are assigned, the responsibility is his/hers and the grades will be changed only upon authorization from the School Dean. The student is responsible for appealing to the School Dean. A student who withdraws without following official procedures forfeits his/her privilege to return and must seek readmission by special petition to the Office of Enrollment Management.

Students can also be administratively withdrawn from the College at any time by the Director of Enrollment Management, upon the recommendation of the Vice President for Academic Affairs, Vice President for Student Affairs, or the President. Such withdrawals may be made when students fail to meet financial obligations, for disciplinary reasons, for violations of academic regulations, or for the good of the College.

TAKING COURSES AT OTHER COLLEGES
Before taking courses at another college for transfer credit to Benedict College, a student must be in good financial standing and must be making satisfactory academic progress. They must secure prior approval by completing an "Academic Course Approval" form.

GRADE POINT AVERAGE REQUIRED FOR GRADUATION
Students must have a Cumulative Grade Point Average of at least 2.0 in order to graduate. The total credit hours required to graduate may vary depending on the student's major and degree sought.

SATISFACTORY ACADEMIC PROGRESS SCALE
Full-Time Students
YEAR Hours Earned Minimum Cumulative GPA

1 21 1.5

2 22 - 46 1.6

3 47 - 71 1.8

4 72 - 97 1.9

5 98 and above 2.0

Part-Time Students
YEAR Hours Earned Minimum Cumulative GPA

1 10 1.5

2 21 1.5

3 22 - 34 1.5

4 35 - 46 1.6

5 47 - 59 1.6

6 60 - 71 1.8

7 72 - 84 1.8

8 85 - 97 1.9

9 98 - 111 1.9

10 112 and above 2.0

ACADEMIC PROBATION/SUSPENSION/DISMISSAL
Students whose quality grade point average falls below the minimum allowed for the hours earned (see Satisfactory Academic Progress Scale), are placed on academic probation for a period of one year. All students placed on probation must participate in a Probation Management Program. Students on academic probation may register for no more than 13 credit hours per semester. If at the end of the probationary period, the student has not achieved the minimum indicated on the Satisfactory Academic Progress Scale, then he/she is placed on academic suspension for one year. Such students are not permitted to register again at the College unless they sit out one regular semester or attend summer school and raise their average to the required level. If a student is not enrolled the semester after being placed on probation, the one (1) year period will begin when the student returns to the College.

In addition, all students must earn a cumulative GPA of at least 1.00 by the end of each academic year or be suspended for one semester. Students who are suspended may be readmitted if they attend summer school and raise their GPA to the required level. Students on academic suspension may also request readmission to the College after the lapse of one semester. If readmitted, such students must maintain the minimum average for satisfactory academic progress or a semester grade point average of 2.0 in subsequent semesters. If such students fail to maintain the specified GPA, they are dismissed from the College and may not seek readmission.

The privilege of requesting readmission does not imply an obligation on the part of the College to grant the request. The College reserves the right to deny readmission on the merits of the individual case or, if a student is readmitted, to indicate the conditions under which the student is to be readmitted. While the College encourages students on academic suspension to take steps to improve their academic performance, it will not accept transfer credits for courses taken at another college during the period of suspension.

CREDIT BY EXAMINATION
Benedict College awards course credit to eligible students for acceptable scores made on the College Board Advanced Placement (AP) Standardized Tests, the College Level Examination Program (CLEP) Standardized Tests, and the DANTES Program Subject Standardized Tests. Credit by examination must be established and awarded within the first two semesters the student is enrolled at the College. In compliance with the Curriculum Policy of the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE), no credit is given for life experiences or independent study by the Social Work Department.

College Board Advanced Placement (AP)
Students may receive credit for scores on Advanced Placement Standardized Tests used to assess AP courses taken in high school. Advanced Placement Standardized Test scores must be reported directly to the Coordinator of Testing, Benedict College, by the American Testing Program. The College accepts scores only for those examinations for which there are corresponding courses at Benedict College. A listing of these examinations, courses and acceptable scores is available in the Testing Office. An incoming freshman may earn up to sophomore status through AP Examinations.

College Level Examination Program (CLEP)
Benedict College awards credit for certain measurable life experiences and independent study, as measured on the CLEP Examination. The College accepts scores only on the subject examinations for which there are corresponding courses at Benedict College. A listing of these examinations, courses and acceptable scores is available in B.C.CARES.

DANTES Program (Subject Standardized Tests)
Benedict College awards credit for certain measurable life experiences and independent study, as measured by the DANTES Subject Standardized Tests. The College accepts scores only on the subject examinations for which there are corresponding courses at Benedict College. A listing of these examinations, courses and acceptable scores is available in B.C. Cares.

A student may earn up to a total of 15 credit hours through CLEP and DANTES examinations.

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