Student Resources

Below is information on basic policies and procedures

Add/Drop
Students may make changes to their semester schedules anytime prior to the first day of classes and on days indicated in the academic calendar. Changes must be approved by Assistant Dean Rosemary Rubbo or Francesca DiGiorno and an add/drop from must be signed. The signed form must be submitted to the registrar.

Attendance Policy
Attendance in class and laboratory sessions is recorded from the first day of the semester. Students are expected to accept personal responsibility for absences, and are responsible for fulfilling all requirements and completing all assignments made in each course. They will likewise be held responsible for the entire content of each course. Instructors are not required to provide a substitute test or quiz if students are absent from the class session during which the test or quiz is given.

If students are absent from laboratory periods, field trips and similar class sessions, they cannot expect that any special arrangements (e.g. setting up laboratory apparatus) will be made for them to complete work that was missed. Unless the reasons for absences or the quality of the student’s work justifies an exemption from the rule, a student who has been absent from 20 percent or more of the scheduled class sessions (including examinations) will be dismissed from the class and assigned the failing grade “FA.” In all other cases, absence from class as a matter of principle is undesirable and may preclude the meeting of requirements in certain courses as delineated in individual course syllabi.

Change of Grade
Students who believe that an error has been made in the assignment of a grade should discuss with the instructor the basis upon which the grade was determined. If after this review the student is not satisfied with the assigned grade, an appeal may be made to the department chair. Such appeal must be made in writing, stating the basis upon which the grade is questioned and requesting departmental review. If, the following review is not satisfactory, the final appeal may be made to Assistant Dean Rosemary Rubbo.

Closed Courses
Students who wish to enter into a course, which is already fully enrolled, must obtain the approval of the chair of the department. A “closed” course card must be signed by the chairperson and then submitted to the registrar by the student.

Course Withdrawal
Students may withdraw from a course with the approval of Assistant Dean Rosemary Rubbo or Francesca DiGiorno for evening/weekend students. Students should check the academic calendar for the following deadlines: withdrawal date requiring faculty assessment of student performance (i.e. “W” or “WF”); and withdrawal date by which all withdrawals are graded “WF.” The signed withdrawal form must be submitted to the registrar.

Incomplete Grades
If for serious reasons, students are unable to complete one or more requirements of a course, other than the final examination, they should notify the Assistant Dean, Rosemary Rubbo, who will assist them in arranging for an “incomplete.”

If for academic reason students wish to apply for an “incomplete”, they must submit a written request for review and approval by the instructor and Assistant Dean, Rosemary Rubbo. If the request is granted, the time for submitting outstanding work is extended until the date indicated on the academic calendar. In all cases of “incompletes”, if the course requirements are not met within the extended period of time, the final grade will be recorded as an “F.”

Repeating Courses
If a student repeats a course in which a grade of less than “C” was received, both grades are shown on the transcript and are included in both the semester and cumulative indices. If the original grade is “C” or better, the second grade is shown on the transcript and included in the semester index but not in the cumulative. In either case, the course is credited only once toward the total credits earned.