Graduate Catalog 2005-2006

Academic Policies
Academic Dismissal :: Academic Integrity :: Academic Dishonesty :: Academic Policies and Procedures :: Withdrawl from Classes and Refund Policy :: Exceptions to Academic Policies, Regulations or Requirements

Academic Dismissal

Students are expected to maintain a 3.0 (B average) GPA while in a graduate program at Stephens College. Should a student fail to do so the Director of Graduate Programs will send a written notice to the student indicating that he or she is on academic probation. A student whose cumulative GPA is below a B (3.0) after completing 15 credit hours will be dismissed. After achieving candidacy status, a student must achieve a grade of B (3.0) in each course and maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.0 to continue in the program. See individual graduate programs for academic dismissal criteria specific to that program.

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Academic Integrity

As a community of scholars committed to truth, Stephens College espouses the belief that any type of academic dishonesty violates an important code of ethics. Therefore, Stephens has adopted an academic honesty policy that imposes penalties for students who fail to disclose previous enrollment at another college or university; who are dishonest in examinations, assignments or any other academic activity; who plagiarize; who falsify College forms or records; or who willfully aid other students in an act of academic dishonesty. The severity of a penalty will depend upon the nature, extent and frequency of the violation and may range from receiving a failing grade on an assignment to degree revocation. A full policy statement is outlined below.

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Academic Dishonesty

Academic dishonesty refers to behaviors that violate the academic standards of the College. It includes but is not limited to the following:

1. Engaging in dishonest behavior on examinations, assignments or in any other academic activity.
2. Committing plagiarism. This includes using another person's phrases, sentences or paragraphs without quotation marks; using someone else's design, choreography, ideas or compositional structure without properly crediting the author, artist or composer; paraphrasing without introducing or documenting the source; and using someone else's design/art project, speech or composition and presenting it as one's own (i.e. buying a paper from any source).
3. Using copyrighted material or paraphrasing it as though it were one's own. This includes works of all kinds, whether literary, musical, motion picture or other audio-visual productions, or works of art such as graphic arrangements, photographs, paintings, choreography, logotypes and trademarks. One must credit the owner or author for any use of copyrighted material.
4. Willfully aiding another student in any act of academic dishonesty.
5. Falsifying College records, including the lack of declaration of all transfer credit.

Procedures to Be Followed Regarding:

Course-related Instances of Dishonesty

Faculty members should inform students of policies that apply to incidents of dishonesty in their classes. The general procedures that will be followed are outlined below.

1. A faculty member suspecting dishonesty on an assignment or an examination will first confer with the student.
   1. If the teacher is convinced the student is innocent, the matter will be dropped. If the apparently unethical behavior was unintentional, the teacher will help the student to understand what was wrong and how to avoid a future recurrence. No penalty will be imposed, but the faculty member will notify the Graduate Council.
   2. If the student admits guilt to the act of dishonesty, the faculty member may impose a penalty previously mentioned in the course syllabus, class announcement or some other form of advance notification. If the faculty member has a stated policy, the penalty will be imposed according to the policy. If the faculty member does not have a stated policy, then the penalty will be no more than an F for that assignment and the grade will be averaged in with the final grade. The Graduate Council will be notified of the incident.
2. If the faculty member and the student cannot agree on a settlement of the situation, or if either the faculty member or the student desires a formal hearing of the case, the faculty member will withhold credit for the work in question and notify the Graduate Council. If the student requests a hearing, the student will write a statement explaining why the request is being made. All documentation/evidence will be forwarded to the Director of Graduate Programs.
   1. The Director of Graduate Programs will convene the Review Committee of the Graduate Council as soon as possible (within two weeks) to hear the case. In such a hearing, all due process rights of the student will be protected and appropriate judicial procedures will be followed. The student will be notified in writing of the time and place of the hearing at least three days prior to the hearing.
   2. One student from the campus wide Judicial Board may be asked to join the Review Committee of the Graduate Council for the hearing.
3. The Review Committee of the Graduate Council will review all cases in which a student has been found guilty of more than one incident of academic dishonesty. Hearings will be scheduled as appropriate.

Sanctions

1. In situations where the faculty member and the student come to an agreement on the events of the incident and that the student has committed an act of academic dishonesty, the following sanctions will be imposed:
   1. For the first offense in any one course, the faculty member will determine whether the student should receive an F on the work in question or an F in the course.
   2. For a second offense in the same course, the faculty member will give the student an F in the course. The Graduate Council also will review the case and may add additional sanctions that could include suspension from the College for a minimum of one semester.
2. In situations where the Graduate Council is asked to hear the case and the student is found guilty of committing an act of academic dishonesty, the following sanctions will be imposed:
   1. For the first offense, the Review Committee of the Graduate Council may recommend to the faculty member that the student receive an F on the work in question or an F in the course.
   2. For a second offense in the same course, the Review Committee of the Graduate Council may recommend an F in the course in question and may also recommend that the student be placed on disciplinary probation or be suspended from the College for a minimum of one semester.
   3. If a third offense occurs, the Review Committee of the Graduate Council may recommend suspension or immediate expulsion from the College with no possibility of return.
3. In situations where the Graduate Council reviews instances of two or more violations that may have occurred during the student's college career and involved two or more courses, the following sanctions will be imposed:
   1. If the student is guilty of two separate instances of academic dishonesty, in addition to the penalties assessed by the individual faculty members, the Review Committee of the Graduate Council may recommend disciplinary probation or suspension from the College for a minimum of one semester.
   2. In the event of a third instance of dishonesty, in addition to the penalties assessed by the individual faculty member, the Review Committee of the Graduate Council may recommend suspension or immediate expulsion from the College with no possibility of return.
4. Grade adjustments will be reported to the Office of the Registrar with appropriate explanations.
5. A student may appeal the decision of a faculty member to the Graduate Council within seven days of the decision. The appeal must be in writing.
6. The only appeal of decisions made by the Graduate Council is to the President of the College.

Policies Related to:

Falsification of College Records

1. Falsification of college records, such as transcripts and other official documents, is illegal and is a very serious form of dishonesty that the College will not tolerate.
2. Failure to declare college credit attempted or earned prior to or during enrollment at Stephens is considered falsification of records.
3. Cases of falsification of records will be reported to the Graduate Council and hearings will be held. All judicial procedures will be followed.

Sanctions

1. Students found guilty of falsification of college records will be subject to probation, suspension or expulsion from the College.
2. Failure to declare previously attempted or earned college credit will be grounds for non-admission or suspension if this information is discovered after admission.

Code of Conduct

See Within The Ivy ("Policies" section) for matters relating to student conduct.

Procedures to Be Followed Regarding:

Revocation of a Degree

A degree granted on the basis of fraudulent information knowingly furnished by the student, or any other person pertaining to the student's academic performance, is subject to revocation on the basis of academic dishonesty. The following procedures will be followed if charges are made:

1. The charge will be reviewed by the Graduate Council according to the guidelines published for allegations of academic dishonesty.
2. If the allegations are not well founded, the Review Committee of the Graduate Council will dismiss the charge.
3. If probable cause is found, the Review Committee of the Graduate Council will interview and prepare reports from all persons directly involved.
4. The student will be notified in writing of the allegations and given a fair opportunity to present a personal position in writing. The student will have the right to a formal hearing if requested. The notification sent to the student will include the range of sanctions or penalties that apply to allegations of academic dishonesty, including the possible revocation of a degree, assuming completion of degree requirements is brought into question by the charge.
5. The Graduate Council will review all information brought to bear on the case. If the allegations are found to be true, the Review Committee of the Graduate Council will determine the appropriate sanction or penalty according to the degree of academic dishonesty. If the penalty does not involve the possible revocation of a degree, the Review Committee of the Graduate Council will notify the student of the outcome of the case and any penalties assessed.
6. If the penalty involves the possible revocation of a degree, the Review Committee of the Graduate Council will make that recommendation to the President of the College and the Board of Trustees.
7. The President of the College and the Board of Trustees will review the recommendation and determine the appropriate sanction or penalty, including degree revocation.
8. The student will be notified in writing of the decision made by the President of the College and the Board of Trustees. The letter also will notify the student if the student is to be dismissed from the College on the grounds of academic dishonesty or if the student will be given the opportunity, under stated conditions, to complete degree requirements.
9. If the student is allowed to complete degree requirements, the Graduate Council will confer with appropriate faculty and administrators and establish the conditions that allow completion of degree requirements within a future degree-training period. The Graduate Council will consider other honor violations.

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Academic Policies and Procedures

Academic Advising: The appropriate graduate program director will assign a faculty adviser to each degree-seeking student upon admission.

Comprehensive Examination: A comprehensive examination, built upon the content of the graduate courses, is required to be taken as a part of an approved MBA graduate program. The examination will be given as part of the capstone course, BUS 695: Advanced Business Policy and Strategy.

Grade of Incomplete: A student who completes most of the work in a course at a passing level, but is unable to complete the work on time due to extenuating circumstances, may speak with the instructor to see if receiving an Incomplete (I) mark is warranted. When an instructor grants an incomplete, one semester is allowed to complete the coursework, unless the instructor sets an earlier deadline. If the work is not submitted by the deadline, the I automatically becomes an F. If unusual circumstances indicate the need, the instructor may grant one additional semester to complete the course. An incomplete does not affect the GPA in the semester it is assigned. Students who receive incompletes are ineligible for the deans' list that semester, unless they earn at least 4.0 graded credits.

Independent Studies for Graduate Students:

Policy - The first priority of the Stephens College graduate programs is to assure the overall student success and the integrity of these programs. Graduate students are expected to complete their coursework in a certain sequential manner in order to graduate on time. Courses are offered each semester that allow the graduate student to meet this graduation deadline.

Independent studies are defined as studies undertaken in a manner by which the student receives a project and readings, or other stated goals to complete, and works independently under the guidance of an instructor. Independent studies are considered exceptions to the plan of study offered at the graduate level. Independent studies will only be offered as an alternative if, through no fault of their own, there is no other way a graduate student can complete his or her work in a timely manner. A maximum of two independent studies will be granted per graduate student during their program.

Procedure - To obtain permission to complete an independent study, students must first obtain permission from the instructor of the course they wish to take. They then must submit their request to the Program Chair, along with an explanation of why they need to take the course as an independent study. If approved, the request then goes to the Director of the School of Graduate and Continuing Education for final approval. The request can be denied for a variety of reasons including, but not limited to: insufficient evidence of an emergency situation, poor performance by the student in other classes, and instructor workload.

There are two categories that apply to graduate programs: reading and projects. A course delivered in either of the two formats must be accompanied by two copies of the syllabus (one for the Registrar and one for the Graduate Office) that describes exactly what the student will need to accomplish to complete the course requirements.

Reading category is defined as "(those) which are available for topics not offered in the regular curriculum. The study includes assigned readings and at least one major research paper." These courses would be numbered 598G Title of Course (e.g. 598G: Family and Community: Partners in Education).

Projects category is defined as "(those) which are available to document learning that takes place in study that culminates in a project. Readings and a paper may be required." These courses would be numbered 599G: Title of Course (e.g. 599G: Managerial Economics).

Independent study credit hours should be limited to two courses (6 credit hours.) Each course can be approved by the Director of Graduate Programs without first passing by the Council for approval.

Project or Thesis: Each program requires a project or thesis as part of its program requirements for the degree. Guidelines concerning the master's thesis or project are available from the School of Graduate and Continuing Education.

Graduation: The approved master's degree candidacy program form, with the appropriate signatures, must be on file with the Graduate Program office prior to graduation. A calendar of deadlines and a schedule of fees are available from the School of Graduate and Continuing Education. Commencement is held once a year in the spring.

Time Limit: All degree requirements must be met within seven (7) years following the date of enrollment in the first course of the degree program. Stephens College urges students to complete their graduate program in a timely manner. A lack of satisfactory progress toward completion of the degree, as determined by the student's graduate program, can be considered grounds for dismissal.

If the thesis or major project has not been completed by the end of the term in which the student first enrolled, continuous enrollment for one credit hour in PSY695G or EDU 695G must be maintained until all thesis or major project requirements have been completed.

Policies on Access to Student Records: The Office of the Registrar maintains an official folder of academic information for all current students. A permanent academic record card that shows credit attempted and the resulting grade point average is on file. Students may review their academic records by showing appropriate identification. Records open to students elsewhere on campus may include those maintained by the Office of Student Leadership and Campus Programming, Student Health Services, Office of Financial Aid, Office of Career Services, and by the faculty adviser. Students may not review financial information submitted by parents or confidential letters associated with admission, employment or job placement, nor may they see any material for which they waived the right to review. Any student who believes that inaccurate, misleading or otherwise inappropriate information may be in one of his or her record files may request a hearing with the Graduate Council about academic matters or the Student Review Committee of the Graduate Council about non-academic matters. Information about a student, other than directory information allowed by the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (as amended), will not be released without the student's written consent. A copy of the FERPA 1974 is available for review in the School of Graduate and Continuing Education.

The following directory-type information may be released about a student: name, campus and e-mail address, campus phone number, home address, classification, major field of study, dates of attendance, degrees earned and honors received. A student who wishes to prevent the release of directory-type information must make the request in writing to the School of Graduate and Continuing Education by September 15 each year. Only college personnel who have a direct educational interest in the student, the parents who provide financial support or identified representatives of local, state and national governmental law agencies have access to non-directory information. Efforts will be made to notify the student when information is requested to comply with a judicial order or any lawful subpoena.

Upon written request and payment of necessary fees, the registrar's office will issue statements of academic standing and official transcripts for students in good financial standing. The School of Graduate and Continuing Education will complete recommendations, employment forms and a statement of good standing; the Career Services office will provide placement papers. If a fee is required, the student will bear the costs.

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Withdrawal from Classes and Refund Policy

A graduate student may withdraw from a course according to the academic calendar posted on the website. It is the responsibility of the student to submit a drop form electronically via the Stephens website to the Graduate & Continuing Studies office so that they know that he or she is withdrawing.

Notification of withdrawal must be via the website and indicate the course number, course title and the name of the instructor. Refunds will be given based on the academic calendar and each semester's schedule for details. Tuition refunds are based on the full tuition charge for the course. A student who does not give official notice of withdrawal will not be eligible for a refund, and a grade of F (Unsatisfactory) will be recorded on the permanent record. The Graduate & Continuing Studies office will notify the instructor when a student withdraws officially.

A student who drops a course before classes begin and before the end of the regular registration period must submit a drop form via the website to the Graduate & Continuing Studies office promptly so that other students may be accommodated and a full credit may be arranged. Failure to begin or continue to attend classes does not constitute official notice of withdrawal.

Exceptions to Academic Policies, Regulations or Requirements

Appeal Procedure

The Review Committee of the Graduate Council will hear appeals on academic matters. Exceptions to academic policies, regulations or requirements as stated in the catalog or elsewhere are rarely made. A student who believes an exception is justified may petition the Graduate Council. The petition should be addressed to the Graduate Council, care of the Director of Graduate Programs, and should state exactly what exception is being requested and the reasons for it. Non-degree students should petition the Director of Graduate Programs directly; the degree-seeking student's faculty adviser must countersign the petition, indicating his or her recommendation.

Petitions are to be processed according to the following procedure:

1. The petition must be forwarded by the petitioner to his/her academic adviser for review and written recommendation.
2. In cases involving a thesis, computer project or fieldwork project, the academic adviser will forward the petition to the thesis or project adviser for an additional written recommendation.
3. The thesis or project adviser or academic adviser will forward the reviewed petition to the program director with the recommendation.
4. The program director will forward the signed and reviewed petition with the recommendation(s) to the Director of Graduate Programs. A director's recommendation is desirable.

The student's petition should include the following information:

1. The specific exception being requested and the reason(s) for the request
2. A listing of all courses taken that would apply to the master's degree with grades received and dates when courses were taken
3. Transfer courses, if applicable, showing the name of the institution that awarded the credit, grades and dates attended
4. The expected date of completion
5. For students engaged in theses or projects, a copy of the abstract
6. All required signatures
7. Petitions are considered by the Graduate Council's Subcommittee on Student Petitions at regularly scheduled meetings. Petitions should be submitted well in advance of the scheduled meeting date.

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