Academic Policies & Procedures

Graceland University enables undergraduate students who have not earned a baccalaureate degree an opportunity for continuing their university education by forgiving past unsatisfactory academic performance.

POLICY

• 1. After a minimum of five calendar years have elapsed since the requested credits were attempted, and after the student has completed at least 12 semester hours with a grade point average of 2.50 or above, he/she may request that the previous performance be forgiven.
  2. One or two sessions may be forgiven. Academic forgiveness does not apply to the Satisfactory Academic Progress requirements in place to maintain eligibility for federal and state student financial aid. However, academic forgiveness may be cited as a mitigating factor in a student’s appeal for financial aid probation.
  3. Upon approval, all attempted courses for the requested session(s), including courses with grades of A, B, and/or C, are removed from all grade point average calculations and earned hours. However, the courses will remain on the academic record with appropriate notations regarding the academic forgiveness.
  4. Forgiven credits may not be used to apply toward graduation requirements.
  5. Students, who have been forgiven credits, do not qualify for the Gold Seal for Scholarship upon graduation from Graceland University.
  6. A maximum of one request for academic forgiveness will be allowed during a student’s enrollment at Graceland University.
  7. Academic forgiveness granted at Graceland University may or may not be recognized by other colleges and universities.
  8. After approval, a request for academic forgiveness cannot be rescinded.
  9. The Curricular Adjustment Committee is responsible for reviewing and acting on the request. The action of the Curricular Adjustment Committee is final.
• PROCEDURE
  1. Requests for academic forgiveness are made by the student on the Graceland University Academic Forgiveness Request form, and submitted to the Registrar’s Office.
  2. The Registrar verifies that the student qualifies for academic forgiveness based on policy guidelines, and forwards the request to the Curricular Adjustment Committee for action.
  3. After action is taken by the Curricular Adjustment Committee, the Registrar adjusts the student’s record, if appropriate, and informs the student of the action.

Academic integrity is a highly valued principle that undergirds all facets of academic life at Graceland University. Adherence to principles of honesty is a requisite for preparing students as competent responsible persons. Students admitted to the university are expected to uphold standards of academic integrity, i.e. the avoidance of fraud, plagiarism and cheating in any form.

1. FRAUD. Fraud is the act of deceit or misrepresentation. The following list describes ways to avoid the most common forms of fraud.
   1. Altering, falsifying or misrepresenting an academic document alter or falsify or misrepresent an academic document.
   2. Helping someone else alter, falsify or misrepresent an academic document.
   3. Communicating false information by any means: oral, written, electronic or nonverbal.
   4. Forging a signature.
2. PLAGIARISM. Plagiarism is representing someone else’s work as your own. The following list describes ways to avoid the most common forms of plagiarism.
   1. Submit papers that consist substantially of your own work. Do not buy, borrow or use complete, or nearly complete, papers from any source, electronic or otherwise.
   2. Set off all direct quotations within quotation marks or within the text in a block quote form. To fail to indicate direct quotations by one of these two methods is to commit plagiarism even if the failure is accidental and even if you give the source of the quotation. In a speech you must also indicate the beginning, ending and source of all direct quotations to the audience.
   3. If you derive an idea from another source, cite the source unless the idea is common knowledge, that is, unless people familiar with the subject you are discussing are aware of the idea.
   4. Cite the source of paraphrased material and avoid excessive paraphrasing. Too much paraphrasing minimizes your contribution.
   5. Use the citation style required by your professor for attribution.
   6. Do not use your own work from previous papers or projects on a current paper or project without the express permission of your instructor.
3. CHEATING. The following list describes ways to avoid the most common forms of cheating.
   1. Do not give assistance to another person, or use unauthorized notes, books, etc., when an examination or assignment is supposed to be your own work.
   2. Do not receive assistance from another person, or use unauthorized notes, books, etc., when an examination or assignment is supposed to be your own work.
   3. Do not falsify research results or violate codes for the treatment of human or animal subjects.
   4. Do not violate the policies of proctors, preceptors or supervisors.
   5. Do not use an electronic copy of another person’s work as the starting point of your own work without the instructor’s permission.
   6. On collaborative works, include the names of all participants on any copies that are submitted for evaluation.

All employees are to comply with and enforce this policy, any questions and concerns should be directed to Academic Affairs. An instructor may assign a grade of “F” for the course in cases of fraud, plagiarism and/or cheating. When an “F” grade is assigned, the student may not drop the course. All cases of fraud, plagiarism and/or cheating will be reported to the respective dean or department chair, Program Director and the Vice President for Academic Affairs/Dean of Faculty (VPAA). The VPAA may impose additional consequences including sanctions or dismissal from a program or from Graceland University. The student may appeal the imposition of sanctions by the VPAA to the President.

Purpose: To delineate responsibility for approving exceptions to established academic policy.

1. Policy
   1. Academic policies are designed to provide consistency in, and uphold the integrity of Graceland University’s academic programs.
   2. Academic policies may be proposed and approved by various schools, divisions, councils, or committees on the Graceland University campus, and are published as appropriate in the Graceland University Catalog and/or in the Graceland University Policies and Procedures. Academic policies include faculty-approved degree, general education, major, minor, and program requirements.
   3. Requests for exceptions to undergraduate academic policies regarding major, minor and program requirements are reviewed and acted upon by the appropriate school, or divisions. Requests for all other academic policies are reviewed and acted upon by the Curricular Adjustment Committee. Appeals may be made to the appropriate Deans Council.
   4. Requests for exceptions to graduate academic policies are reviewed and acted upon by the appropriate school. Appeals may be made to the Graduate Council.
2. Procedure
   1. Students requesting exceptions to academic policies, including exceptions to degree, general education, major, minor, and program requirements, use the Student Petition form to communicate the exception requested and rationale for the request to the appropriate committee or council.
   2. Recommendations with rationale from the student’s academic advisor and the appropriate academic department, division, or school must be included on the Student Petition form.
   3. After the action is taken, the decision-making body will submit the form to the Registrar’s Office which will notify the student of the decision.

Students’ academic standings are determined at the end of each major semester/trimester, or at the time transfer work is recorded or grade changes are processed. Students’ cumulative GPAs determine one of the following academic standards: (1) Good Standing; (2) Probation; (3) Continued Probation; and (4) Academic Dismissal. Academic Dismissal is imposed only at the end of a major semester/trimester on any student enrolled for eight or more semester hours.

• Good Standing: To be considered in Good Standing, a student must earn and maintain a cumulative grade point average of 2.00 or better.
• Probation: Any student who fails to earn a 2.00 cumulative grade point average will be placed on Probation.
• Return to Good Standing: Students will be removed from Probation/Continued Probation and returned to Good Standing if they achieve the required 2.00 cumulative GPA.
• Continued Probation: Students who have been on probation for a semester/trimester, and do not achieve the required 2.00 cumulative grade point average, will be placed on Continued Probation if they earn at least a 2.25 GPA for the current semester/trimester.
• Academic Dismissal: Students who fail to achieve the required 2.00 cumulative grade point average to be removed from probation or do not earn at least the 2.25 GPA for the current semester/trimester will be academically dismissed. Students who fail to achieve above a 1.0 cumulative grade point average for any semester will be academically dismissed.

A student placed on probation or continued probation:

1. Must meet with an academic success coach weekly,
2. Create and follow an academic success plan with supervision from academic success coach, and
3. Students that are in non-compliance could be dismissed at any point during the semester.

Previous deficient academic standing will not be held against students who have subsequently achieved good standing.

The academic performance of those enrolled for 7 semester hours or less cannot cause automatic dismissal; i.e., dismissal based on a single semester’s/trimester’s work. However, their cumulative hours earned, and cumulative GPA will be evaluated on the same basis as those of full-time students and thus may lead to probation or continued probation.

Readmission After Academic Dismissal

A student who has been dismissed may be readmitted only after applying for readmission and being approved by the Curricular Adjustment Committee (CAC). Academic dismissal is for a minimum period of one semester for the first dismissal, two semesters for a second dismissal, and six semesters for a third dismissal. Only extreme circumstances would warrant consideration by the CAC for consideration prior to the minimum period defined above. Summer Session may be considered a semester. Demonstration of academic success will improve chances for readmission. Print an Application for Readmission here now. The form is also available at the Registrar’s Office in F.M. Smith Library.

Any decision by the CAC with regard to this policy is final.

Classification is determined at the end of each term according to the number of hours of college credit previously completed and total grade point average.

Basis for classification:

• Freshman 0-23 s.h.
• Sophomore 24 s.h.
• Junior 56 s.h. and 112 grade points (2.00 cumulative GPA)
• Senior 88 s.h. and 176 grade points (2.00 cumulative GPA)
• Post Graduate student has earned a baccalaureate degree and is pursuing additional undergraduate course work
• Graduate student has been admitted to one of Graceland’s graduate programs

Permission may be granted for Lamoni and Independence Campus students to enroll in Center for Graduate and Continuing Studies (CGCS) online courses when irresolvable scheduling conflicts exist, verified by the advisor, which preclude enrollment in a regularly scheduled class.  The hours will be billed as residential campus hours and may count toward the student’s on-campus load.

The following procedure applies to CGCS online courses:

1. A completed Application for Enrollment in Arranged or CGCS Online Courses is submitted by the student to the Division Chair or Dean of the School responsible for the proposed course. The student must provide rationale and evidence of conflict, e.g. 4-year plan, work schedule, etc. for the online course, and signatures from their academic advisor and instructor.
2. The Division Chair or Dean of the School notes the appropriate action and forwards the application to the Registrar. Book orders are placed and charges are applied to the student’s account.
3. The student is then subject to CGCS policies for completion of the course (withdrawal policy, participation policy).

Permission may be granted for arranged courses when irresolvable scheduling conflicts exist, verified by the advisor, which preclude enrollment in a regularly scheduled class. Arranged courses are selected from the courses listed in the current Graceland University Catalog. The grading basis, as indicated in the course description, is followed. If policy allows, students may opt to change letter-graded courses to a pass-fail grading basis. All semester course deadlines apply to arranged courses.

The following procedure applies to arranged courses:

1. A completed Application for Enrollment in Arranged or CGCS Online Course is submitted by the student to the Division Chair or Dean of the School responsible for the proposed course. The student must provide rationale and evidence of conflict, e.g. 4-year plan, work schedule, etc. for the arranged course, desired grading basis, and signatures from their academic advisor and instructor.
2. The Division Chair or Dean of the School notes the appropriate action and forwards the application to the Registrar.

Normal progress refers to a student’s progress toward achieving in four years the 120 semester hours and 2.00 grade point average required for graduation. Academic standing and normal progress are not synonymous.

Normal progress is maintained by a student when he/she meets the following criteria:

Individual study programs are self-directed learning experiences designed and carried out by the student with minimal assistance from others. Programs may be proposed for 1-3 s.h. credit as a means of meeting the student’s specific educational objectives beyond the regular course offerings. Individual study programs are not normally designed to replace regularly offered courses and are not normally available to freshmen unless ability to perform independently can be demonstrated.

1. 2000 level – a sophomore-level project designed for general exploration.
2. 3000 level – a junior/senior-level project of some significant focus and depth.
3. 4000 level – a senior-level project in a student’s major.

Before registering for an individual study program, the study must be described in writing, endorsed by the supervising instructor and approved by the division or school’s Committee for Individual Study.

Programs of individual study are to be guided by the following policies:

1. Individual study may appropriately replace free elective hours in a student’s program, but will not normally be submitted for general education requirements.
2. A student with a cumulative grade point average below 2.50 will have to petition the Curricular Adjustment Committee for permission to enroll for individual study programs.
3. The number of hours credit and grading policy must be included in the program proposal when it is submitted for division or school approval. Individual studies are available on either a pass/fail or a letter graded basis.
4. Credit hours for individual study projects may range from one to three semester hours.
5. The Individual Study Committee may grant approval for an individual study to satisfy a specific course requirement in the major, subject to the endorsement of the appropriate division or school and/or its delegate representative.
6. The student must meet periodically with the faculty member sponsoring the study program.
7. Freshman may enroll in individual study projects if ability to perform independently can be determined or has been demonstrated.
8. Individual study projects may be undertaken any time during the semester so long as the student’s formal proposal to the division or school’s Individual Study Committee precedes the end of the term by at least three weeks for each semester hour of credit to be received.
9. Individual study projects will be completed during the term they are begun.

Students returning to Graceland University, after interrupting their enrollment for at least one session, will follow the degree requirements as stipulated in the Graceland University Catalog in effect at the time of their return.

An average of 30 semester hours per year must be earned if a first-time undergraduate student enrolled in residential educational programs is to graduate in four years. Students enrolled for 12 or more semester hours are considered full-time students, but are required to pay full tuition if enrolled on the Lamoni campus or in the Independence campus nursing program for 10 or more semester hours. Most students register for a study program of 14-15 semester hours.

A full-time student must obtain special permission through the Curricular Adjustment Committee to carry an academic load of less than 12 hours or more than 18 hours. Students officially admitted to the Honors Program may take up to 21 semester hours without petitioning. A student wishing to enroll on a part-time basis (less than 12 semester hours) must apply through the Dean of Admissions.

Graceland recognizes credit for students who participate in study abroad. Initial assistance in proposing study abroad is available from the Coordinator of Study Abroad Programs or the student’s academic advisor. In order to study abroad, students must meet the following criteria:

1. Students must have successfully completed at least 2 semesters of coursework at Graceland University before they depart. Students may begin the application process at any time.
2. Students must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.80, or a minimum of 3.0 in the 2 semesters prior to studying abroad.
3. Students must obtain approval for studying abroad by submitting a completed Experience Abroad Application Packet to the Registrar’s Office and be registered in the appropriate Graceland Study Abroad Course prior to departure.

Approval for study abroad programs is obtained through the following procedure:

1. Students will review the catalog from the foreign university they plan to attend, or from the program provider they plan to study through and, using their degree audit sheet, identify classes that would appear to fulfill requirements in their majors, then consult with the appropriate faculty members for determination of course equivalency and any other needed assistance.
2. Three recommended program providers that Graceland works closely with are ISA (www.studiesabroad.com), AIFS (www.AIFS.com), CEA Study Abroad www.ceastudyabroad.com/ and Central College Abroad (www.central.edu/study-abroad/).
3. After completing the Experience Abroad Application Packet listing the courses that they plan to take abroad and attaching photo copies of course descriptions and documentation of costs, students will submit the completed Experience Abroad Proposal Form for review, approval and signature to the appropriate faculty members, their advisor, the coordinator of study abroad and financial aid. (The Experience Abroad Application Packet is available in the Registrar’s Office and online.)
4. The approved Experience Abroad Application Packet will then be returned to the Registrar’s Office for final review. The student will then be registered in the appropriate Study Abroad course.  This form is to be used for the evaluation of transfer credit, tuition, registration and recordkeeping, and financial aid. Please see Student Financial Aid – Study Abroad for more information on financial aid for study abroad.  If you have questions concerning application of courses to major, minor or graduation requirements, contact the appropriate faculty member.
5. All undergraduate students studying or interning abroad on approved programs will be charge the non-refundable Study Abroad Enrollment Fee for each semester or summer they are abroad.  This fee allows the student to remain enrolled at Graceland University while abroad and allows eligible students to receive federal and state financial aid.  The fee also covers advising, technology and administrative expenses, foreign transcript evaluations, foreign internship evaluations, language level evaluation (when necessary) and International SOS coverage.  The fee schedule and detailed explanation is available from the Coordinator of Study Abroad Programs.
6. Students studying or interning abroad are encouraged to set up quest access for a parent, guardian, or other trusted person for the duration of their time abroad at https://my.graceland.edu/ics/Student/Setup_GUest_Access.jnz so that information may be shared as necessary.

Final transcripts for students studying abroad should be mailed directly to the Registrar’s Office by the study abroad college/university or program provider. In rare situations where transcripts are issued to the student, the student will deliver the documents directly to the Registrar’s Office in a sealed envelope. Certain situations may require a modified procedure which will be defined and approved by both the Registrar and the appropriate faculty member.