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 After approval, a request for academic forgiveness cannot be rescinded.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.

Probation: Students are placed on Probation when their cumulative grade point average (GPA) falls below the following, expressed in terms of semesters/trimesters of full-time college enrollment:

End of 1st semester (or at least 12 s.h. attempted): 1.70
End of 2nd semester (or at least 24 s.h. attempted): 1.80
End of 3rd semester (or at least 36 s.h. attempted): 1.90
End of 4th semester and after (or at least 48 s.h. attempted): 2.00

Return to Good Standing: Students will be removed from Probation/Continued Probation and returned to Good Standing if they achieve the required cumulative grade point average.

Continued Probation: Students who have been on probation for a semester/trimester, and do not achieve the required 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 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 cumulative 1.0 cumulative grade point average after any semester will be academically dismissed. Student records will be review prior to dismissal.

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.

Grade changes and late receipt of college transfer work may affect probationary status at the time documentation is received by the Registrar’s Office. Academic Dismissal, however, may occur only at the end of the regular semester/trimester.

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 my 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.