Academic Policies

The Academic Program

Each student enrolled in a degree program is required to complete a major. In addition, students have the option of pursuing a second major and/or one or more minors outside their major discipline. Students also complete course work to fulfill the requirements of the Core Program, which provides a broad and liberal education.

Academic Advising

Advisors are assigned for majors, second majors, and minors. Non-degree students also are assigned advisors.

The First-Year Advising Program for students is designed to touch on all aspects of the first-year experience, assisting new students to better understand themselves, and to learn to use the College’s resources to meet their educational needs and aspirations.

Upperclass advisors work closely with students during the registration period for course selection for the coming semester. For those upperclass students who have declared a major, advisors in the major program also provide assistance in regard to graduate or professional school and/or career planning.

See the Student Life  section of this Catalog for more information about the First-Year Advising Program and upperclass student advising.

Student Responsibilities

Students are required to consult with their major advisor as to course selection, course sequences, graduation requirements, etc. Consultation with the second major or minor advisor is an expectation, but not a requirement.  It is the student’s responsibility to ensure that all graduation requirements have been met and that other requirements, regulations and deadlines have been observed.

Degree Planners and Degree Audits

Degree Planners for academic majors and minors list the requirements for each program and can be used by students to track their progress.

In addition, electronic degree audits (aka, Grad Reports) are available 24/7 to students and their academic advisors through the College Web system, Jayweb. The degree audit matches the student’s course work against the requirements for a degree and notes which requirements are met and which still are required. The degree audit is not the same as the transcript. The degree audit is an advising tool and as such, is an unofficial document, whereas the transcript is the official record of course history and degree completion. Students are encouraged to review their degree audits and transcripts at the start/end of every semester. While the degree audit is usually accurate, at times the complicated nature of a program or the unique circumstances of a student’s course completions may lead to inaccuracies. If there are inaccuracies, students are responsible for reporting these to the Office of Registration and Records. An error in the degree audit does not change the actual requirements for graduation; in particular, unfulfilled requirements are not waived because of degree audit errors. The responsibility for understanding and meeting degree requirements rests with the student.

Declaration and Change of Major/Minor

Declarations and changes of majors and minors are initiated by the student and facilitated by the Registration and Records Office. When a change of major or minor occurs, a student’s advising record is transferred from one Academic program to another when applicable.

Change of Personal Information

Any change of name, address, telephone number, or marital status must be reported to the Office of Registration and Records immediately either as a request through the College Web system or in written form. E-mailed and telephoned changes cannot be accepted. This information must be kept current so that there will be no delay in receipt of information from the College. Changes of name, gender, social security number, etc., require legal documentation.

Academic Load and Progress

Since the completion of at least 125 credits is required for a bachelor’s degree, a student who plans to graduate in four years must satisfactorily complete an average of 16 credits in each of eight semesters. However, some students wisely elect to take a lighter academic load in order to do better work and choose to complete one or more summer courses or attend a partial fifth year. Some programs require a highly sequenced set of courses and any deviations from the sequence may delay program completion. Students should review the requirements for any intended major or minor programs to ensure full understanding of program expectations. Students completing courses through accelerated subterms can expect to complete 6-12 credits each semester, and required to meet the 125 minimum credits for graduation.

Credit

A semester credit hour represents a unit of curricular material that normally can be taught in a minimum of 15 hours of classroom instruction plus a minimum of two hours of out-of-class student work for approximately 15 weeks or the equivalent as determined by the faculty. Each of the following four requirements must be met for any equivalent learning experience activity: 

1. Be directly related to the objectives of the course/program,

2. Be measurable for grading purposes,

3. Have the direct oversight or supervision of the faculty member teaching the course, and

4. In some form be the equivalent of an activity conducted in the classroom.

Full-time/Part-time Status

An undergraduate student taking 12 or more credits per semester at Elizabethtown College is considered a full-time student and pays full tuition and fees.

An undergraduate student taking fewer than 12 credits per semester is considered part time. Part-time students pay the regular semester credit rate plus applicable fees and receive a library card and full use of the library facilities.

National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) regulations stipulate that a student must carry a minimum of 12 credits per semester to be eligible for intercollegiate athletic competition.

Overload Credits

Undergraduate students may carry up to 18 credits in the Fall or Spring semester, 12 credits in a combination of course work across all summer sessions (term or sub terms), and 4 credits in the Winter term. A student who achieves a cumulative grade point average of 3.20 or above, or who has the approval of the Registrar, may carry up to 20 credits in the Fall or Spring semester. An additional tuition fee is charged for credits in excess of 18 credits in a semester. A petition form for overload credit is available in the Office of Registration and Records or on the office’s website.

Graduate students may carry up to 16 credits (Fall, Spring, Summer) without paying a credit overload fee. 

Class Standing

The student’s class standing is determined on the basis of the number of credits earned. After earning 30 credits, a student is considered a sophomore; with 60 credits, a junior; with 90 credits, a senior.

Transfer of Credits

Students can transfer courses from institutions that are judged by the Registrar and the appropriate program (in the case of courses for a major/minor/certificate) to be high quality, involve active delivery methods (ongoing exchange of ideas with an instructor), and are consistent with the mission and program goals of Elizabethtown College. Elizabethtown College transfers credits – but not grades or quality points. The course must be letter-graded with an earned grade of C- or better. The College does not accept courses taken Pass/No Pass (or Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory) at other institutions.  Facsimiled, emailed, and student-delivered transcripts are not be accepted.

1. Transfer Credit for college courses taken during high school. The practice of a student being enrolled at two schools simultaneously (high school and post-secondary) is known as Dual enrollment. Please remember to have an official transcript, from the credit-granting institution, sent directly to the Office of Registration and Records at Elizabethtown College. A student will not receive duplicate credit through examination, or any other college courses taken before or after enrolling at Elizabethtown College.
2. Currently enrolled students who wish to transfer credits to Elizabethtown College must obtain permission in advance from the Office of Registration and Records. If a student elects to take a course without obtaining prior written permission, the College is not obligated to accept course for transfer.

Courses that are eligible to be repeated must be taken at Elizabethtown College and not at another institution as a transfer course. Please refer to the college’s “repeating courses” policy for more information.

Students, who have achieved junior status (60 credits) through either work at Elizabethtown College or a combination of work at the College and another institution, are not permitted to transfer additional credits from two-year institutions to Elizabethtown College. Such students may transfer credits from four-year institutions, but only with the prior approval of a Registrar.

Students must request that the registrar’s office of the transferring institution send an official transcript to the Office of Registration and Records at Elizabethtown College.

For more information regarding transcripts and course transfer, contact the Office of Registration and Records at (717) 361-1409 or visit the office’s website.

Students with Earned Associates Degrees

Transfer Candidates approved through Admissions with an earned Associate’s degree, that have at least 40 corresponding general education credits from a regionally accredited college or university will be recognized as meeting all of the requirements of the Elizabethtown College Core Curriculum with full junior standing. The foregoing provision does not supersede curricular prerequisites or departmental program requirements established in the College catalog. Nor does it exclude the student from completing the signature learning requirement, or residency requirements, for completion of a bachelor’s degree.

For more information, please contact the Office of Admissions or the Office of Registration and Records.

Military Credit Evaluation

Students who were formerly able to access and request a transcript through the AARTS or SMARTS web sites must now use the Joint Services Transcript (JST) website. The Joint Services Transcript (JST) is a function of the Department of Defense and is not associated with the Department of Veterans Affairs.To have your transcript evaluated, request an official copy of your transcript through JST to be sent to Elizabethtown College, Registration and Records Office for evaluation.

Elizabethtown College will evaluate credits from military transcripts for transfer into degree programs as long as the military education and experience received a credit recommendation from the American Council on Education. The School of Graduate and Professional Studies will consider the transfer of credit for military education and experience upon receipt of notarized appropriate documentation such as DD Form 295 (Application for the Evaluation of Education Experience During Military Service) and/or Form DD‐214 (Service Separation Certificate).

Transcripts

Transcript requests must be sent to the Office of Registration and Records and should be received at least one week prior to the date needed. Federal law requires that all requests be made in writing by the student. Telephone requests and e-mail requests cannot be honored. Transcripts also cannot be requested by parents, friends, spouses or potential employers.

No transcripts of record are furnished to students whose account is not paid in full. There is no charge for transcripts.

Transcript request forms are available in the Office of Registration and Records or by printing a copy from the office’s website. Letters are accepted instead of the form. The following information must be included in all requests: 1) name(s) and address(es) to whom the transcript should be sent, include specific names/ offices when possible; 2) dates of Elizabethtown College attendance; 3) student’s full name, including maiden name if applicable; and 4) student’s signature.

Students may print unofficial transcripts via the College web system. Unofficial transcripts might not be acceptable to other institutions or potential employers. Elizabethtown College does not send or accept facsimile copies of transcripts.

Registration

Students register for classes on those days designated on the College calendar. No registrations are accepted after the first week of a semester or subterm. Students register for the fall semester in April. Spring semester registration takes place in November. Winter and Summer registration opens in November with the Spring. A student may register either as a degree or a non-degree student and as a full-time or part-time student. Degree-seeking candidates must have a major declaration.

Many courses have prerequisites, and students are reminded of their responsibility for meeting all prerequisites and for taking courses in proper sequence. 

To register for the next semester, a student must have met all financial obligations. Students who do not register during the registration period cannot be guaranteed space in the residence facilities or classes. Students must meet with their advisor prior to registration, and the advisor must remove the “registration clearance” before students can register online through the College Web system.

The Office of Registration and Records will publish all registration related materials to their website - www.etown.edu/offices/registration-records.

Registration Holds

A student’s registration may be delayed as a result of unpaid account balances, incomplete academic records, disciplinary sanctions, failure to meet with the advisor, failure to provide current off-campus address information, or incomplete health records. For full-time students, the Student Health Record must include a recent physical and evidence that all required immunizations are complete.

Schedule Changes

Enrolled students may make course schedule changes via the College Web system, on a space-available basis. A student is not dropped or withdrawn from a course simply because they discontinue attendance or by notifying the professor. The completion of any course registration addition or change is the responsibility of the student, not the faculty member.  Students can review their registration status in Jayweb 24/7.  Seniors should keep in mind that dropping or withdrawing from a course could delay their anticipated date of graduation.

Course Add Period

Students may add a course to their schedule from the first day of open registration for the term and in accordance with the term definitions. 

Semester (14-16 weeks)

Students may add courses to their schedule through the fifth day of the semester using Jayweb. 

Sub-Term (greater than 5 weeks, but less than 14 weeks)

Students may add a course through the fifth day of the published sub-term/session using JayWeb.

Sub-Term (less than 6 weeks)

Students may add a course through the second day of the published sub-term/session using JayWeb. SGPS students participating in a weekend seminar may add a course (register by advisor) until 8:00am EST on the first day of the course.

Course Waitlists

Enrolled students may make course schedule changes via Jayweb, on a space-available basis, in accordance with the Course Add Period policy.  If a course is full, students may waitlist.  If a seat becomes available, a member of the Office of Registration and Records will email the student using their etown.edu email account. Please be sure you are monitoring your email; Registration and Records will hold the seat for up to three days, or the conclusion of the course add policy once the semester begins. The Office of Registration and Records reserves the right to return the student to the waitlist and the seat given to the subsequent student if the stated timeline concludes.

Dropping Courses

Students may DROP a course without permanent record from the first day of open registration for the term and in accordance with the term definitions. 

Semester (14 - 16 weeks)

Week One. Students may elect to DROP a course through the fifth day of the semester using JayWeb.

Week Two – Week Four.  Course DROP(s) between the second and fourth week of the semester require the completion of an official course DROP from located in the Office of Registration and Records.  A course DROP requires the signature of the student’s academic advisor. 

Sub-terms (greater than 5 weeks, but less than 14 weeks)

Week One. Students may elect to DROP a course through the fifth day of the sub-term/session using JayWeb.

Week Two.  Course DROP(s) between the sixth day of the sub-term/session and the end of the second week of the sub-term/session require the completion of an official course DROP form located in the Office of Registration and Records.  A course DROP requires the signature of the student’s academic advisor. 

Sub-terms (less than 6 weeks)

Week One. Students may elect to DROP a course through the third day of the sub-term/session using JayWeb. SGPS students participating in a weekend seminar may DROP a class until 8:00am EST on the first day of the course.

Course Withdrawal Period

At the conclusion of the course DROP period, a student has the option of exercising a course withdrawal.  The decision to withdraw from a course is part of a student’s academic record and transcribed based on the date of the form submission to the Office of Registration and Records.

Semester (14-16 Weeks)

From the fifth week to the end of the eleventh week, a course withdrawal will result in a grade of “W”, which will appear on the student’s permanent record, but it will not affect the student’s grade point average.

All course withdrawals after the end of the eleventh week of the semester will result in a grade of “WF”, which is calculated into the student’s grade point average as an earned “F”.

Sub-terms (greater than 5 weeks, but less than 14 weeks)

From the third week to the end of the fifth week, a course withdrawal will result in a grade of “W”, which will appear on the student’s permanent record, but it will not affect the student’s grade point average.

All course withdrawals after the end of the fifth week of the sub-term/session will result in a grade of “WF”, which is calculated into the student’s grade point average as an earned “F”.

Sub-terms (less than 6 weeks)

From the fourth day to the end of the third week, a course withdrawal will result in a grade of “W”, which will appear on the student’s permanent record, but it will not affect the student’s grade point average. SGPS students participating in a weekend seminar who withdraw from a class on the first day will receive a “W,” which will appear on the student’s permanent record, but it will not affect the student’s grade point average.

All course withdrawals after the end of the third week of the sub-term/session will result in a grade of “WF”, which is calculated into the student’s grade point average as an earned “F”. SGPS students participating in a weekend seminar who withdraw from a class after the first day will receive a “WF,” which is calculated into the student’s grade point average as an earned “F.”

Repeating Courses

A few courses are repeatable for credit if so designated in the Catalog and provided that the content is not duplicated. Other courses may be eligible to be repeated in an attempt to improve the grade. Courses that are eligible to be repeated must be taken at Elizabethtown College and not at another institution as a transfer course. Only an alternative study registration (independent studies, directed studies, and tutorials) can be repeated as an alternative study registration (i.e. a course cannot be repeated as a directed study unless it was originally registered as a directed study). All other course formats (e.g. traditional classroom, hybrid, and fully online) may be repeated interchangeably.

Students may repeat any course in which they earned an F or NP and may attempt failed courses as many times as needed until the course is passed. Under certain conditions, students may be able to repeat a course in which they earned a C- or a grade in the D range. To do so, the following conditions must be met:

The course to be repeated must be in their major/minor or be a course that is a prerequisite to a Core Program requirement.

The student must have the approval of their advisor and the major/minor Program Director.

The student must file a repeat registration form in the Office of Registration and Records.

Under federal financial aid (Title IV) guidelines, a previously passed course that meets these conditions may be repeated only one time. This includes courses in which a program requires a minimum grade in the course (i.e., students who have previously passed a course have one opportunity to repeat the course for a better grade). When repeating a course to earn a different grade, the original grade remains on the transcript but is removed from calculation of the grade point average, course credits are counted only once toward degree and program requirements, and only the last (i.e., most recent) grade earned for the course is counted in the grade point average.

Auditing Courses

Students in good academic standing (2.00 or better) may elect to audit courses provided they do not preempt regularly enrolled students and they have the permission of the professor teaching the course.

The requirements for the audit are determined by the professor. Upon completion of all such requirements, the audit is posted on the student’s permanent record card. Audit courses carry neither academic credit nor grade.

Audit credits are included in the total credits to determine full-time status and overload charges. A fee is charged on a per-credit basis for part-time students who wish to audit courses. Auditors – both full-time and part-time – also must pay any additional fees for labs, studio supplies and other direct costs. Students may add a course for audit or change a course registration from audit to credit during the first week of class only. Change of course registration from credit to audit cannot be made after completion of the fourth week of the semester. Once a course has been audited, it may not be taken for credit. Likewise, a course that has been completed for credit may not be repeated and recorded as an audit course.

Cross-Registrations

Students may seek approval to cross-register between the School of Graduate and Professional Studies and the Schools of Arts and Humanities, Business, Human and Health Professions, Engineering Math and Computer Science, Public Services, Sciences. 

Cross-Registrations are approved on a space-available basis with the approval of the student’s academic advisor and the students School Dean, or designee. 

Guidelines for Cross-Registration:

• A student must be in good academic standing.
• Undergraduate students currently seeking a bachelor’s degree must have successfully completed a minimum of 30 credits.
• Undergraduate students currently seeking an associate degree must have successfully completed a minimum of 15 credits.
• Undergraduate students seeking to take graduate level courses must seek additional approval.   Please refer to the additional requirements below for more information. 
• Graduate Students may only register for courses at the 500 level or above.
• The course cannot be used to satisfy a Core Program requirement.
• The course cannot be used to satisfy a major/minor requirement.
• The course registration must comply with program accreditation.  Please contact the School Dean for more information on program accreditation requirements.
• All course pre-requisites must have been met prior to requesting enrollment in the course.

Any undergraduate students seeking to enroll in graduate level coursework must also submit the Undergraduate Students Seeking to Enroll in Graduate level Course form to maintain federal financial aid and academic progress across two divisions of the College.

• A student must have an overall 3.0 minimum GPA.
• The student must have Junior or Senior standing.
• The course may not be used to satisfy a Core Program requirement.
• The course may not be used to satisfy a major/minor requirement.
• The course registration must comply with program accreditation.  Please contact the School Dean for more information on program accreditation requirements.
• All course pre-requisites must have been met prior to requesting enrollment in the course.
• An undergraduate student enrolled in a graduate course is subject to all academic policies governing undergraduate student.
• To maintain federal eligibility of financial aid, a student must identify whether the course is to be applied to their undergraduate or graduate degree. Once a course is reserved for graduate credit, the course classification cannot revert to undergraduate degree. 

Class Absences

Class Attendance

Class attendance policy is determined individually by faculty members. 

Each faculty member announces his or her attendance policy at the start of each semester. A professor or the College may dismiss a student from a course for excessive absences. Such a dismissal in the first through fourth weeks of the semester results in removal of the course from the student’s record; after the fourth week, a grade of WF is recorded for the course. A student may appeal to the Academic Standing Committee for reinstatement to the course.

Students are responsible for knowing the attendance policy for each course and consulting with professors in the case of absences due to illness or other personal problems.

Long-Term Absences

A long-term absence from classes or from campus may result in mandatory withdrawal from the College. After 15 consecutive class days of absence from all classes, a student is considered to have withdrawn from the College. Students absent for verified medical reasons will be granted a Medical Withdrawal.

Withdrawal Policy

Withdrawal from College (Voluntary)

Students who withdraw from the College during a semester also withdraw from all of their classes for that semester. Full-time students withdraw from the College through the Center for Student Success; part-time students withdraw through the Office of Registration and Records. Students who withdraw during the semester are expected to leave the campus as of the effective date of their withdrawal.

For purposes of billing, room reservation, academic responsibility, etc., the effective date of withdrawal is the date on which the completed official notice is returned to the Center for Student Success or the Office of Registration and Records. A student who withdraws without notification receives no refunds and may incur the full room penalty. Failure to comply with the withdrawal procedures may result in loss of the privilege of readmission to the College and the right to the release of a transcript of credits earned. See the Institutional Refund Policy  for information about pro-rated refunds.

Students who were on academic contract and/or probation who wish to return to Elizabethtown College at a later date must petition Academic Standing Committee for approval.

For more information about the voluntary withdrawal process, contact Stephanie Rankin, Associate Dean of Students.

Medical Withdrawal (Voluntary)

A medical withdrawal for a physical health or mental health reason is defined as a withdrawal from the College for at least the remainder of the semester in which it is initiated. The withdrawal may extend through subsequent semesters depending on the nature and course of the health concerns. The transcript will indicate “W” for all current courses.

A medical withdrawal for physical or mental health reasons is requested voluntarily by the student or his/her parent or guardian and may be approved if, in the judgment of a licensed medical or mental health provider, it is determined to be in the best interest of the student. A Medical Withdrawal Documentation Form must be signed by the student and completed by the student’s treatment provider. The Form must be submitted to the Director of Student Wellness who also speaks with the student, before the withdrawal can be authorized.

During a medical withdrawal, the College expects the student to participate in professional healthcare treatment with a licensed medical or mental health provider as the primary method of resolving or managing the health concerns which led to the medical withdrawal. Prior to being considered for readmission by the College, the student must have his/her treatment provider submit the Medical Withdrawal Re-Entry Documentation Form to the Director of Student Wellness. Consulting with the Director of Student Wellness is necessary as part of the readmission process following a medical withdrawal. See the Re-Entry Requirements after a Medical Withdrawal document for details on the re-entry process.  

Students are also encouraged to:

1. Contact Residence Life at (717) 361-1197 as soon as possible for information about the procedures for moving out of the Residence Hall, and to inquire about the housing registration process. Housing is guaranteed for residential students upon re-entry within the two semesters following the medical withdrawal.
2. Contact Disability Services at (717) 361-1227 to discuss accommodations during the re-entry process. It may be necessary to provide documentation from your health care provider in order to support requests for accommodations.
3. Petition Academic Standing Committee for return if on academic contract and/or probation at the time of the Medical Withdrawal.
4. Consult with Financial Aid and the Business Office regarding implications for individual financial aid and the Institutional Refund Policy.

For more information about a voluntary medical withdrawal, contact Dr. Bruce Lynch, Director of Counseling and Health Needs.

Involuntary Withdrawal

An Involuntary Withdrawal may be imposed by the Dean of Students when a student exhibits behavior that has not been appropriately resolved through the Student Conduct process or is threatening to the safety and well-being of the college community.

Each situation will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis through an individualized assessment of the student’s ability to safely participate in college programs. The Dean of Students will consult with the Director of Counseling and Health Needs, Director of Campus Security, Associate Dean of Students for Student Success, Associate Dean of Students for Community Living, Director of Student Rights & Responsibilities, the Director of Disability Services, and college legal counsel as necessary to fully consider available medical knowledge and the observed, documented behavior which prompted the review in order to determine if a reasonable accommodation can be made or if a withdrawal is recommended. 

If a withdrawal is recommended, the Dean of Students will confer with the student and/or parent/guardian to explain the advantages of a voluntary withdrawal or voluntary medical withdrawal and the conditions for re-entry which may include a medical clearance from a licensed physician or psychologist. If the student declines to take a voluntary withdrawal or voluntary medical withdrawal, the Dean may impose an involuntary withdrawal. The Dean will explain the implications for the student including the conditions for re-entry which may include a medical clearance from a licensed physician or psychologist. During an Involuntary Withdrawal, the student is immediately administratively withdrawn from all classes and from college housing if applicable. The transcript will indicate “W” for all currently enrolled courses. The student may be eligible for a refund according to the Institutional Refund Policy.

In an emergency situation, the College will take immediate steps to protect the health, safety, and welfare of students, employees, and the campus community including the imposition of an Interim Separation by the Dean of Students. The subsequent individual assessment may result in an Involuntary Withdrawal. 

Appeal of an Involuntary Withdrawal

A decision to impose an Involuntary Withdrawal may be appealed by the student to the President within five (5) business days of the decision. Appeals should be in writing and include specific reasons for the appeal. The President has five (5) business days to review the information presented and inform the student in writing of a final decision. The President may uphold the decision of the Dean of Students, adjust the finding, refer the matter back to the Dean of Students for additional consideration or reverse the decision and reinstate the student. The President’s decision is final.

Students who believe they may have been discriminated against on the basis of a disability can follow the grievance procedure at www.etown.edu/offices/disability/Grievance_Procedure.aspx.

Leave of Absence

Students in good academic standing may take a leave of absence from the College for a period of time not to extend beyond the academic year in which the leave is taken. Leaves of absence must be approved by the Director of the Center for Student Success. In order to return to the College following a leave of absence, students must submit a readmit request to the Office of Registration and Records. For more information about the Leave of Absence process, contact Stephanie Rankin, Associate Dean of Students.

Readmission

Students who leave the College in good academic standing (minimum 2.00 cumulative grade point average) gain readmission by written request to the Office of Registration and Records. Students who leave the College in academic difficulty (below 2.00 cumulative grade point average) must petition the Academic Standing Committee for readmission. A student who is readmitted to the College after an absence of five successive years may petition to have previous grades of F removed from his/her cumulative grade point average. In order to be eligible to petition for this, students must have completed 16 consecutive credits at Elizabethtown and earned a grade of C or better in each class. If the petition is approved, the old F grades remain on the transcript but are removed from the student’s overall grade point average. For further information, students should consult with the Office of Registration and Records.

For more information, please visit www.etown.edu/offices/registration-records/readmit.

Grades and Quality Points

Grades are reported as A, B, C, D, and F. Plus and minus distinctions are made. Designations of I, W, WF, P, NP, and AUD are used in appropriate situations.

Grade definitions are:

Grades submitted to the Office of Registration and Records are considered official at the time submitted. Official grades can be changed only by successful appeal under the College’s Grade Appeal Policy or by an instructor’s petition to the Dean for Academic Affairs to correct a documented grading error.

Grade appeals and evidence of grading errors must be submitted within 30 days of the date on which the grade was formally issued from the Office of Registration and Records. Exceptions to the 30-day time limit require formal petition to and approval by the Academic Standing Committee.

Incomplete Grades

A grade of Incomplete (I) may be obtained by making a formal request to the professor of the course in question. The student and the professor must sign a written agreement that specifies the nature and the quantity of work to be completed and the projected date of completion. A grade of Incomplete is assigned for extenuating circumstances only. It is not simply given to allow additional time to complete required course work or to improve a course grade. In addition, a professor may use a grade of Incomplete in cases of suspected academic dishonesty.

All incomplete grades received in the fall semester must be removed by April 1. Those received in the spring semester or summer session must be removed by October 1. Failure to do so results in a grade of F.

Quality Points

A 4.00 quality point system is used. Quality points are assigned as follows:

Grade Point Average Calculation

The grade point average is dependent upon the credits attempted and the quality points earned. To determine the quality points earned for a semester, multiply the credits for each course by the quality points for the grade earned in the course, sum the results, and divide by the total credits attempted in the semester. Courses in which a grade F or WF is received are included in the calculation. Courses in which a grade of W or I is recorded are excluded, as are Pass/No Pass and Audit courses.

The cumulative grade point average and the grade point average in majors and minors are calculated in the same manner as the semester grade point average. All courses that could fulfill a requirement for the majors or minors – whether in excess or not – are used for the grade point average calculation.

Pass/No Pass Grading

The Pass/No Pass grading option is intended to encourage students to explore areas of study beyond those of their major or minor. Courses registered on Pass/No Pass basis earn credits (for grades of P) but are not included in the calculation of the grade point average. Students may select one course per semester to be graded in this manner under these conditions:

A student currently must have junior or senior standing (60 or more credits).

The student must have a cumulative average of 2.75 or higher.

The selected course may carry no more than four credits and must be a free elective. It may not satisfy a Core Program requirement (no Core courses can be taken Pass/No Pass) and may not be a course that could fulfill a requirement for the student’s major or minor. However, if major/minor requirements are already met (i.e., completed, not in progress), then an additional course in the major/minor Program can be taken Pass/No Pass.

No more than four courses in total (excluding Physical Education activity courses) may be taken under this grading option.

All students may elect to take Physical Education courses Pass/No Pass. Pass/No Pass registration opens at the end of the second week of classes and must be completed by the end of the fourth week of the semester. Forms are available on JayWeb and in the Office of Registration and Records. Once a course is registered under the Pass/No Pass option, it may not be changed. Grades of D- or higher are recorded Pass; grades of F are recorded No Pass. Students should be aware that courses taken Pass/No Pass may not be transferrable to other institutions.

Academic Progress Survey System

Mid-term grade reports are not issued. However, during the fifth week of each semester, faculty are asked to complete the Starfish academic progress survey (for all 100- and 200- level courses, with 300- and 400-level courses strongly encouraged).

Students may receive flags for areas of academic concern or kudos for areas of academic strength. Students receiving flags are encouraged to consult with their instructors to discuss options for improving their performance. All students receiving a flag will receive an email from the Center for Student Success inviting the student to take advantage of the Center’s supports and resources.

Final Examination/Project Policy

All academic courses are expected to conclude with a final examination administered during the assigned time of the examination period.  Within the last three meeting days for classes (not for any individual course) prior to final examinations, no in-class assessment, counting more than 2/3 of a letter grade toward the final course grade may be administered, lab examinations/practica are exempt.

The following may or may not have final examinations, depending upon the judgment of the instructor:

• laboratory sections
• advanced seminar in which an assigned paper or project is the major activity
• a performance class in which a recital or similar artistic performance is required
• an internship
• a practicum

Any faculty member seeking an exception to the final examination rule for an academic course shall secure the approval of the Dean. 

Students with 3 exams in one day may directly request of a professor that one exam be rescheduled during exam week. There is no obligation on the part of the faculty member to reschedule the exam. All requests for rescheduling an exam must be made at least 5 class days before the start of the final exam week. Students with 4 exams in one day may request that 1 or 2 of the exams be rescheduled following the same procedure. When a scheduling conflict cannot be resolved between professor(s) and student, the student may take her/his case to the Dean of their School.

Academic Standing

Students in academic good standing maintain a minimum 2.00 cumulative grade point average.

Academic Probation

Academic probation means that a student is in danger of being dismissed from the College for academic reasons. Students who fall into the following categories are placed on academic probation and may also be required to sign an academic contract:

Students on academic probation and/or contract should normally limit their academic load to three courses – or a maximum of 13 or 14 credits – in any semester in which the probation exists. The summer maximum should be two courses or eight credits. Students taking courses exclusively through accelerated subterms should work closely with their academic advisor to review their degree requirements, develop a course plan for upcoming semesters, and identify resources that can aid in their success.

Academic Dismissal

At any time, the College – upon recommendation of the Academic Standing Committee – may dismiss a student who is experiencing academic difficulty and/or lack of progress toward degree completion. A student should be aware that all cases are decided individually and that poor academic performance may result in dismissal at the end of any semester, whether or not a student was previously on an academic contract. Further, violations of the conditions of an academic contract may result in dismissal at any time of the semester.

A student who is in academic difficulty (below 2.00 cumulative grade point average) may be requested by the Academic Standing Committee – in consultation with the student – to enroll in a unique or particular set of courses and to become involved in testing, counseling, or other developmental activities. A student’s satisfactory performance in such assignments may be interpreted by the Academic Standing Committee as satisfactory progress and may make it unnecessary to recommend dismissal.

Individual Program Adjustments

Academic Schools reserve the right to counsel any student out of a major or minor for academically related reasons. A student has the right to appeal such School action to the Chair of Academic Standing Committee, who will direct warranted appeals to the Academic Standing Committee.

Academic Honors

Dean’s List

A full-time undergraduate student who earns a semester grade point average of 3.60 or better in 14 or more credit hours, of which at least 12 credits are letter-graded course work, is regarded by the College as having performed with distinction. The student is placed on the Dean’s List of Honor Students for the semester.

Doctoral programs, graduate degrees and certificates are excluded from this designation.

SGPS Dean’s List

To be eligible for the School of Graduate and Professional Studies Dean’s List, undergraduate students have to complete nine graded credits in the fall semester and nine graded credits in the spring semester (for a total of 18 credits) and achieve a GPA of 3.6 or higher in each semester.

Emergent Scholars Program

Awarded to those undergraduate students who demonstrate strong academic achievement at the end of three semesters of full-time study at Elizabethtown College. Such early academic achievement is indicative of habits of mind that embody the Elizabethtown Educational Philosophy and Learning Goals. Recognition at this point in a student’s college career seeks to encourage deeper academic engagement on the path to achieving the promise of a transformative Elizabethtown College education.

Qualifying students are full-time students who have not previously attended another college or university for full-time study and have earned at least 42 credits in three consecutive semesters of study at Elizabethtown College or one of its affiliated programs (or, by petition, a non-affiliated program). Students must have attained at least a 3.75 cumulative grade point average at the end of their first three semesters. Students will be identified after their third semesters at Elizabethtown and recognized in a ceremony.

Graduation (Latin) Honors

At the time of graduation, an undergraduate student who has achieved a cumulative grade point average of 3.60 is graduated cum laude; of 3.75, magna cum laude; of 3.90, summa cum laude.

The cumulative grade point average recorded on the students’ academic record prior to the start of the spring semester will determine Latin honors recognition for the purpose of commencement in May.

A transfer student is eligible for and receives these same honors if the student earns a minimum of 60 credits at Elizabethtown College and is recommended for honors by the major School.

Doctoral programs, graduate degrees and certificates are excluded from this designation.

Honors in the Discipline

Honors in the Discipline is awarded at graduation to outstanding undergraduates majoring in the various disciplines. To receive this designation, the student must prepare a research or creative project, and the completed project must be judged outstanding by the faculty of the School. An invitation from the major Program and a grade point average of at least 3.50 in the major are required for a student to begin an honors project.

Honors in the Discipline is noted in the graduation program and on the academic transcript. A student may receive recognition in more than one discipline. Schools may recognize more than one graduate in a year. Each School determines the specific criteria used to judge its students’ projects.

Undergraduate students enrolled through the School of Graduate and Professional Studies receive SGPS Honors with a 3.60 or higher GPA and a minimum of 30 credits with Elizabethtown College, but less than 60 credits, which is the residency requirement to receive Latin Honors. Students earning an Associate degree with 3.60 or higher GPA receive SGPS Honors.

Graduate students enrolled through the School of Graduate and Professional Studies receive Honors in the Discipline having completed their degree program with a 4.0 GPA.

Scholar’s Privilege

With the permission of the instructor, a full-time undergraduate student who appeared on the Dean’s List of Honor Students for the preceding semester may attend any class at the College on a space-available basis as a scholar’s privilege without registration or credit.

Programmatic Student Privilege

With the permission of the instructor, a full-time or part-time junior or senior student may attend any class within the student’s major or minor Program on a space-available basis without registration or credit. This is not applicable to courses in an accelerated subterm.

Credit by Examination

Students, accepted for enrollment through our Admissions Office, may receive academic credit or advanced placement through examination. Credits earned through examination are transcribed, but not the grade, thus credits earned through examination are not calculated into the students grade point average (GPA).  Students can earn up to a maximum of 32 credits through examination. A student will not receive duplicate credit through examination, or any other college courses taken before or after enrolling at Elizabethtown College.

College Board’s Advanced Placement Examinations

Advanced Placement (AP) is a program created by College Board, which offers nationally recognized college-level curricula and examinations to high school students. Students who perform satisfactorily on a College Board AP Examination, earning a score of four or better, earn academic credit.  School approved AP Examinations and their Elizabethtown College equivalent are outlined on the Office of Registration and Records’ website.

CLEP Examinations

Elizabethtown College participates in the CLEP program of the College Board accepting a score of 50 or higher in subject areas upon matriculation to the college. 

All CLEP examinations must be completed prior to the achievement of sophomore status (30 or more completed credits). In addition, any currently enrolled student must receive written approval from the Registrar, and their discipline’s School Dean, before completing the examination. Any student with advanced knowledge in the CLEP subject, earned at Elizabethtown College or another credit-granting institution, will be prohibited from earning transfer credit through CLEP examination.

A complete list of CLEP Examinations and the Elizabethtown equivalent is available on the Office of Registration and Records’ website.

International Baccalaureate (IB)

Elizabethtown College recognizes International Baccalaureate (IB) for the purpose of admission, course credit, advanced standing or placement. Students do not have to earn an IB Diploma to receive academic credit. The college does not award credit for standard level (SL) examinations.  

• IB Diploma recipients, earning a total score of 30 or higher, will earn 32 credits (equivalent to sophomore status). 
• IB Certificate recipients receive credit (depending on the subject) for scores of five or better on higher level (HL) examinations.

Other course credits from institutions outside of the United States are evaluated on a case-by-case basis.  For example, Cambridge International (Advanced Level or A-Level) examinations. 

Students are required to request the organization to submit official transcripts and/or scores directly to the Office of Registration and Records. For precise placement determinations, we may request a review of the course syllabus or examples of written work.  If an accurate evaluation of foreign credentials is not possible, the student may be requested to secure, at their expense, a professional evaluation from a nationally recognized organization like World Education Services (WES), www.wes.org.

DSST Examination

DSST, formally Defense Activity for Non-traditional Education Support (DANTES), exams are college subject tests taken to earn college credit for knowledge acquired outside of a traditional classroom. In accordance with the American Council on Education (ACE) recommendations, students taking DANTES - DSST exams earn credit by earning the ACE recommended minimum score of 400, or higher as determined by the program governing the course discipline.

Challenge Testing

Challenge Testing is a comprehensive term encompassing all tests prepared and/or administrated by Elizabethtown College faculty.  Students must obtain written approval through the Office of Registration and Records and the Dean of the School governing the course discipline.  Students must submit the Challenge by Examination approval form PRIOR to the administration of the challenge test.  Student may not complete Challenge Examinations for practicums, internships, research courses, or the First-Year Seminar within the Core Program. 

There is a per-test fee for Challenge Examinations given at the request of the student. The fee is for the test itself and is charged regardless of the test results. In addition, 50 percent of the appropriate part-time tuition rate in effect at the time the test is administered is charged for academic credit awarded as a result of performance on Challenge Tests.

• Challenge Examinations for Academic Credit. A currently enrolled Elizabethtown College student may request a Challenge Examination in hopes of earning credit for a particular course in the College Catalog.  All challenge examinations are graded Pass/No Pass. A grade of Pass indicates that the credit and/or advanced placement is to be awarded.
• Challenge Examinations for Placement and/or Waiver by the Student. A currently enrolled student, or a School governing a course discipline, may request examination for proper placement in a course sequence such as modern languages and mathematics. Upon successful completion of the examination, the Office of Registration and Records will place a notation on the students graduation audit for clearance and registration purposes.  No academic credit is awarded for placement.
• Challenge Examinations for Placement and/or Waiver by the School. Challenge Tests given at the initiative of the College are administered without fee to the student.

Placement Testing

A student enrolling at Elizabethtown College may have their high school transcript as well as college credits earned through examination or dual enrollment evaluated for proper placement into English and Modern Language courses at Elizabethtown College.

English Placement

English writing course placement is based on a combination of SAT critical reading and writing scores (or the ACT equivalent).  Most students are placed in EN 100 - PLE Writing and Language , where as other students, such as honors students, may be placed in EN 150 - PLE Advanced Writing and Language . Both satisfy the Power of Language – English requirement in the Core Program.

Mathematic Placement

Students are required to complete MA 251 - MA Probability and Statistics  or  MA 121 - MA Calculus I . All incoming students are eligible for MA 251 and MA 121, but certain majors require MA 121. Please consult the Degree Planners for more information in this regard. Students who have not taken a pre-calculus or higher level course in the previous year should take MA 120 Foundations for Calculus before taking MA 121.

Modern Language Placement

A modern language placement is based on language background and an online modern language placement examination.  Students planning to study Spanish, French, or German need to complete the ML Placement Exam for that language.  The examination information is found on the Modern Languages Program webpage. Students, having completed high school level 3 or higher, no matter what the placement examination results dictate, are prohibited from enrolling in a language at the 111 level. 

Students interested in studying Chinese, Japanese, or Latin, MUST meet with their First-Year Seminar advisor during summer orientation for instructions on how to proceed. Several ancient languages (i.e., Sanskrit, Biblical Hebrew, Classical Greek) are offered through other programs. For details, students should consult with their First-Year Seminar advisor.

Prior Learning Assessment (PLA)

Prior Learning Assessment, PLA, is a process by which learning mastered outside of a formal classroom is reviewed for college-level equivalency. Credit for PLA may be granted for learning acquired from work and life experiences; civic, community, or volunteer work; individual study; and in-service training sponsored by associations, business, government, and industry, including the military. PLA is a rigorous process in which a student must demonstrate that he or she has college-level learning, which entails knowledge, skills, and competencies obtained as a result of prior experiences in a particular area. PLA is awarded based on learning, not experience. PLA provides students the opportunity to validate their relevant learning.

PLA creates a pathway for our non-traditional students to accelerate their academic progress toward earning an Elizabethtown College degree. Any Elizabethtown College program approved to award credit through PLA will have it clearly published on their school’s webpage. Credit for PLA will only be awarded when:

• A student is an actively enrolled, degree-seeking student at Elizabethtown College and has completed a minimum of 6 Elizabethtown College credits prior to applying for PLA.
• Students interested in pursuing PLA credit should check with their academic advisor to ensure that they do not enroll into a course for which they may later be seeking to earn PLA equivalent credit.
• Students must be in good academic standing with Elizabethtown College.
• Students must be in good financial standing with Elizabethtown College.
• A student has not previously attempted, completed, or transferred in the equivalent course for which PLA credit is being sought.
• The PLA credit must apply to the student’s major or program of study.

There is a $450 fee charged for the assessment of a PLA portfolio, due upon submission and regardless of the outcome.

To obtain PLA credit for the types of learning listed above, the student may:

1. Contact an approved prior learning assessment service. Once the assessment is complete and a transcript is available, the student may submit an official copy to the Registration and Records Office for evaluation of transfer credits into their Elizabethtown College degree program. Approved providers include: The American Council for Education (ACE), The National College Credit Recommendation Service (National CCRS) and the Council for Adult and Experiential Learning (CAEL).
2. Complete a one credit course, PL 1500 - SGPS Experiential Learning Portfolio, which will prepare the applicant to submit a Prior Learning Assessment (PLA) Application and Portfolio. The portfolio must demonstrate college-level competencies and writing skills and include a narrative explaining how their specific experience aligns with the student learning outcomes of a course(s) in the Elizabethtown Catalog.  Each statement must be accompanied by tangible evidence and support documentation.

The instructor for PL 1500 will be a trained PLA coordinator who will assess the student’s portfolio and recommend PLA credits to the Record and Registration office.

The PLA coordinator will consult with an appropriate subject matter expert (Dean, Chair, Director, Professor) before finalizing their analysis and recommendation.

A maximum of 32 credits may be earned through PLA and Transfer Credit through Examination policies. PLA credits do not count toward residency or the students’ academic grade point average. Students are responsible for understanding the impact of PLA credits transcribed by Elizabethtown College and future plans for transfer, and or additional degrees.  

Graduation

Degree Conferrals and Commencement

Graduation from Elizabethtown College is celebrated once each year in May. The ceremony is typically held on the morning of the second or third Saturday in May, outdoors in The Dell, except in cases of severely inclement weather when the ceremony is held in an alternate location. Students who complete all graduation requirements in the previous summer or fall or in the current spring semester are recognized at this ceremony. Undergraduate students majoring in Music Therapy who have completed all course work, except their professional internship in Music therapy may participate in the May graduation ceremony, but do not receive their diplomas until their internship is successfully completed.

Upon degree conferral, the academic record is finalized [or final, or sealed] and no further changes may be made. No program changes such as the addition of a major, minor or concentration, grade, or GPA changes or other academic changes to the record will be considered.

Early Participation

Senior students who are not actually graduating may petition to indicate their desire to participate in Commencement and for verification of their status as a “member of the class.”

Undergraduate students, to be eligible for early participant (“EP”) status, students must have a 2.00 grade point average in both the major and overall at the time of the ceremony and have no more than eight credit hours of course work remaining, regardless of total number of credits completed.

In addition, students are not eligible for Latin honors until all coursework has been completed. Students in an education program who have not yet completed their student teaching are not eligible for EP status. Honors are listed in the Commencement program only for those students who actually have graduated and those whose only remaining requirement is a non-credit clinical experience.

Graduate students, to be eligible for early participation status, must have a 3.00 grade point average at the time of the ceremony and must be enrolled in all remaining graduate level courses in the summer in which early participant status is granted. The number of outstanding credits may not exceed 6 credits, regardless of total number of credits completed.

Students approved as early participants take part in Commencement with their class, have their name listed in the official program, and are called to the platform for recognition as members of the graduating class. They are not graduates and do not receive a diploma until they have successfully completed all requirements. Early participation applications are due to the Office of Registration and Records by February 1st and must include what, when, and where the remaining requirements will be completed. Following approval, students have two years from when they participate in commencement to complete the requirements and earn their degree and cannot change their major(s) declaration during this time from what was approved for EP status. Students not completing their degree during this grace period or as specified on the EP application will need to follow the Catalog requirements in effect during the year they complete their degree (see “Other Requirements”).

Credit Requirements

Undergraduate

To receive a Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Science, Bachelor of Social Work, Bachelor of Nursing, or Bachelor of Music degree from Elizabethtown College, the student must earn a minimum of 125 credits. Some programs may require more than this minimum to complete all program requirements (See the program requirements for specific information).

No more than one bachelor’s degree is ever awarded to an individual by Elizabethtown College; however, students may complete a second major, a minor, or teacher certification subsequent to graduation.

Graduate

To receive a Master’s degree from Elizabethtown College, the student must earn a minimum of 30 credits (Undergraduate courses are not counted towards these credits). Some programs may require more than this minimum to complete all program requirements (See the program requirements for specific information).

Program Requirements

Undergraduate

Students are required to successfully complete all requirements of the major and the Core Program. The College does not guarantee graduation to any student who is unable to complete requirements of a specific program or academic major.

In addition to their major, students have the option of pursuing a second major and/or one or more minors or certificates. Second majors must include at least 16 credits not included in the first major. For each minor, the student must complete at least eight credits that are not used to fulfill the requirements of the major(s) or another minor. For each certificate, the student must complete at least four credits that are not used to fulfill the requirements of the major(s) or minor(s) programs. Certificates are embedded with a bachelor’s degree program. They are not standalone programs. Only a notation of certificate completion will appear on the student’s transcript.

Second majors and minors represent additional knowledge and interest in areas outside the first major. Therefore, second majors and minors must be selected in disciplines outside the first major, and additional minors must be selected in disciplines outside the first minor. Major and minor disciplines are determined by the predominant course prefix of the major/minor course requirements. For secondary education majors, the major subject area is considered to be the discipline of the major. Students seeking to double major in related disciplines (as defined by the predominant course prefix) would appeal to School Dean of the major and then the Chair of Academic Standing Committee.

Grade Point Average

Undergraduate

To be eligible for graduation, a student must have a cumulative grade point average of at least 2.00, with a minimum average of 2.00 in a major (and a 2.00 in a minor, if the minor is to be recorded on the student’s transcript). A student who transferred from another college to Elizabethtown College must have an average of at least 2.00 in courses pursued in residence at Elizabethtown. Any student whose primary major or overall GPA is below 2.00 will not be included on pre-graduation correspondence or lists.

Graduate

To be eligible for graduation, a student must have a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.00. Any student whose major or overall GPA is below 3.00 will not be included on pre-graduation correspondence or lists. 

Residency Requirement

Undergraduate

To meet graduation requirements, the student must earn on-campus credits as follows: l) a minimum of 16 credits in the major, at least eight of which are at the upper level (normally 300 and 400 level) and 2) at least 30 of the last 60 credits. To recognize completion of a minor on the transcript, a student must have completed at least eight credits of the requirements on the Elizabethtown College campus and must have earned a bachelor’s degree at Elizabethtown College.

Note: While a student is matriculated at Elizabethtown College, credits earned through an affiliated study-abroad program or another study-abroad program formally affiliated with Elizabethtown are considered on-campus credits for residency purposes.

Graduate

To meet graduation requirements, the student must complete the minimum residency requirement of 27 credit hours in the graduate program. 

Other Graduation Requirements

Graduation requirements are governed by the College Catalog dated four years prior to graduation or, for major or minor requirements, by the College Catalog in effect at the time of graduation, if the student so chooses. For most students, this means they will follow the requirements of the Catalog in effect when they begin their studies at Elizabethtown College. Students who choose to change Catalog years for their major or minor to the one in effect at the time of graduation must inform their academic advisor and the Office of Registration and Records by the end of the fall semester of their senior year. Students may not use a combination of College Catalogs to complete a major or minor. Transfer students are subject to the requirements of the College Catalog in effect when they begin studies at Elizabethtown College or, for major requirements, the one in effect at the time of graduation.

Students may not normally use a College Catalog dated more than four years prior to graduation to determine requirements for a degree. The only exception to this is for students who have been continuously enrolled for more than four years.

Elizabethtown College will graduate only those students who meet the moral and financial obligations incurred in pursuit of their studies. The completion of the required number of credits does not in itself constitute eligibility for graduation. It is the responsibility of the candidate for a degree to make formal written application for the degree to the Office of Registration and Records by the stated deadline. Only students in good academic standing may apply for candidacy for degree conferral.

The Office of the President must be notified by any student who plans to graduate in absentia.

Graduate Program

Many components of the graduate program at Elizabethtown College are facilitated the same way as the undergraduate program. The Office of Registration and Records manages course registration, graduation clearance, and the award of credit transfer in consultation with our Faculty.

The following policies apply only to graduate students: 1) The minimum number of credits required to be full-time is six. 2) Students may not take more than 16 credits without following the Petition for Overload procedure; 3) The maximum number of courses allowed for transfer is three; 4) Pass/No Pass does not apply unless the course is offered Pass/No Pass; 5) Latin honors and the Dean’s List do not apply; and 6) Only courses graded F may be repeated.

All graduate students must maintain a minimum of a 3.00 cumulative GPA to remain in good academic standing in all Elizabethtown College graduate programs, unless otherwise stated in the catalog. At any time, the College – upon recommendation of the relevant Dean and/or program director – may dismiss a student who is experiencing academic difficulty and/or lack of progress toward degree completion and/or is failing to meet professional standards specific to the student’s program. At the discretion of the Dean and/or program director, students who fail to maintain the defined minimum cumulative GPA at the end of any semester may, in lieu of immediate dismissal, be placed on academic probation. Students on academic probation will have one semester in which they are registered to return to good academic standing. Students who fail to meet the conditions of their academic probation can expect dismissal from Elizabethtown College. Students who are dismissed for academic reasons must be out for two full years before they are eligible to apply to for readmission. Students may direct appeals of probationary and/or dismissal decisions to the relevant Dean and/or program director. The decision of the Dean and/or program director shall be final.

Students who have withdrawn from the College must petition for readmission to the College. In addition, the student must petition the graduate program School for readmission to a particular program. To be eligible for readmission, applicants must be in good standing, and the academic program must have the capacity to accept additional students. Additional conditions of readmission may be imposed by the specific graduate program for which the applicant seeks readmission.

It is at the discretion of the School Dean and/or program director to determine if undergraduate and graduate courses may be taken concurrently. Graduate courses may count toward undergraduate programs; however, undergraduate courses may not count toward graduate programs. Undergraduate program courses taken by graduate students to complete credit deficiencies are free elective credits only and do not fulfill any major requirements. Graduate courses may not be met via Challenge Tests.

Concurrent Credentials

Graduate Certificate to Graduate Degree Program

Graduate credit-bearing certificate programs are comprised of related courses that constitute a coherent body of study within a discipline. Elizabethtown College students who have been fully admitted into a graduate degree program, while previously or currently enrolled in an Elizabethtown College certificate program, may apply credits earned in the certificate program to a graduate degree in their entirety.

Requirements:

• The graduate certificate course credit hours must be defined as an area of concentration within the graduate degree program.
• The graduate degree program must have eighteen (18) unique (not shared) credits unless otherwise noted in the Catalog for the specific graduate program.

If the certificate is not an area of concentration in the graduate degree program, the student may apply up to six (6) previously earned credits from the certificate program to the graduate degree program to take the place of elective credits.

Subsequent Certificate Policy

Credits earned in a previous certificate may be applied to a subsequent certificate if at least six (6) credits are unique (not shared) and is completed after the first certificate is awarded.

Subsequent Degree Policy

Students may be approved to use up to nine (9) credits from a previous Elizabethtown graduate degree program to meet the requirements of a subsequent graduate degree.

Academic Judicial System

Responsibility for judicial matters of an academic nature is assumed by the Academic Standing Committee. The Academic Standing Committee handles matters pertaining to academic dishonesty, grade appeals, academic probation, academic dismissal, readmission and deviations from the academic curriculum of the College.

Academic Due Process

At Elizabethtown College, academic due process is understood to include the following student rights:

With Regard to Grading:

To receive a specific explanation of how a course grade was determined.

To appeal a course grade if the student believes that a grade was influenced by matters other than academic performance, class attendance and punctuality in submitting assignments.

With Regard to Academic Dishonesty:

When penalized for academic dishonesty, to receive a written notification specifying the nature of the infraction and the recommended penalty.

To request a hearing before the Academic Standing Committee when found by a faculty member to be in violation of the standards of academic integrity and to receive a written statement from that committee summarizing the findings of the committee and its disposition of the matter.

To request a hearing before the Academic Standing Committee when recommended for academic dismissal due to cheating, plagiarism or other violations of the standards of academic integrity.

To inspect any information on file in the Office of the Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs (or its proxy) dealing with incidents of academic dishonesty attributed to that student.

Standards of Academic Integrity

Elizabethtown College assumes that students will act honorably. Students are expected to adhere to the Pledge of Integrity adopted by both the students and the faculty in 1995 and revised in 2014:

I pledge to respect all members of the Elizabethtown College community, and to act as a responsible member of the College community. I pledge to respect the free exchange of ideas both inside and outside the classroom. I pledge to represent as my work only that which is indeed my own, refraining from all forms of lying, plagiarizing, cheating, and academic dishonesty.

As members of the Elizabethtown College community, we hold each other responsible in the maintaining of these values.

Reflecting commitment to the pledge, new students are expected to sign a pledge stating, “I pledge to be honest and to uphold integrity.”

Academic dishonesty – including cheating and plagiarism – constitutes a serious breach of academic integrity. Academic work is expected unequivocally to be the honest product of the student’s own endeavor.

Cheating is defined as the giving or receiving of unauthorized information as part of an examination or other academic exercise. What constitutes “unauthorized information” may vary depending upon the type of examination or assessment involved, and the student must be careful to understand in advance what a particular instructor considers to be “unauthorized information.” Faculty members are encouraged to make this definition clear to their students through statements on the syllabi.

Plagiarism is defined as taking and using the writings or ideas of another without acknowledging the source and/or without rephrasing the information into their own words. Plagiarism occurs most frequently in the preparation of a paper, but is found in other types of course assignments as well.

Other forms of academic dishonesty include (but are not limited to) fabrication, falsification, or invention of information when such information is not appropriate. To knowingly help or attempt to help another student to commit an act of academic dishonesty is an equivalent breach of academic integrity and is treated as such.

Cases of academic dishonesty are reviewed individually and according to the circumstances of the violation; however, students who violate the standards of academic integrity can normally expect a grade of F in the course and/or possible dismissal from the College.

Procedures for Dealing with Cases of Academic Dishonesty

Instances Involving Course Work. The following steps are to be followed when dealing with instances of academic dishonesty involving course work:

Initial Conference. When an instructor discovers evidence of academic dishonesty, an initial conference is scheduled promptly with the student or students involved. If a face-to-face meeting is not possible, this conference can take place by video conferencing (i.e. Zoom) or via e-mail. If an instructor is unable to schedule a conference before grades are due, a grade of Incomplete for the course should be assigned in the interim. If the student confirms his or her academic dishonesty in the initial conference, then the procedure continues with the Written Notification step below.

Second Conference. If, in the initial conference, the student denies academic dishonesty, but the instructor is satisfied that there is evidence of academic dishonesty, a second conference is scheduled with the student involved. In cases involving more than one student, either individual or group conferences may be appropriate depending on the particular circumstances of the case. This second conference should include the School Dean or another faculty member in the School in instances where the School Dean is also Chair of the Academic Standing Committee. If the School Dean commenced the integrity violation a second faculty member from the School should be included. The student also has the right to have a faculty member, another student, or a member of the Center for Student Success present as a silent observer. Due to the nature of this second conference, it should be scheduled as a face-to-face meeting. If a face-to-face meeting is not possible, this conference can take place by video conferencing (i.e. Zoom)

Written Notification. If, following either the initial or second conference, the initiating faculty member is satisfied that there is proof of academic dishonesty, the faculty member will give the accused student(s) written notification specifying the infraction and the recommended penalty. Copies of this notification are sent to the School Dean (or equivalent) and the Chair of the Academic Standing Committee. Should the School Dean (or equivalent) not agree with the faculty member’s recommended penalty, both the faculty member and the School Dean (or equivalent) will give written notification with rationale to the Chair of the Academic Standing Committee. The Chair of the Academic Standing Committee will review the matter and recommend action and will inform the student in writing of the recommended action.

Reported Cases. Cases of alleged academic dishonesty reported by a student or students or College staff are managed as described above.

Academic Standing Committee. Following the second conference, the accused student(s) will have the alternative of (1) accepting the penalty recommended by the faculty member or the Chair of Academic Standing Committee [in the case of a difference between the faculty member and the Chair of Academic Standing Committee], or (2) requesting a hearing before the Academic Standing Committee. The request for a hearing must be presented in writing to the Chair of Academic Standing Committee within five business days of receipt of the notice of information. In no case may the Academic Standing Committee impose a penalty more severe than the one imposed by the faculty member, or the Chair of Academic Standing Committee, as the case may be.

Dismissal. Beyond the penalty imposed for the individual course, the Chair of the Academic Standing Committee will review each case of academic dishonesty and exercise judgment as to whether a student found to be in violation of the standards of academic integrity should be recommended for dismissal from the College. If it is the Chair of the Academic Standing Committee’s judgment that academic dismissal is appropriate, the Chair of the Academic Standing Committee will notify in writing both the student and the Academic Standing Committee of their decision and the factors that influenced that decision.

Academic Standing Committee. In the event of dismissal, the student will have the option of (1) accepting the Chair of the Academic Standing Committee’s decision, or (2) requesting a hearing before the Academic Standing Committee. The request for a hearing must be presented in writing to the Chair of the Academic Standing Committee within five business days of receipt of the Chair of the Academic Standing Committee’s decision. The Academic Standing Committee’s decision is final.

Note: If the School Dean is serving as the Chair of the Academic Standing Committee and initiates an integrity violation, then the Provost or Associate Provost for Student Learning will participate in the processes, as described, in replace of the Chair of the Academic Standing Committee.

Other Instances

All forms of dishonesty in academic matters are violations of the Standards of Academic Integrity and are the concern of the Academic Review Committee. Inappropriate actions – for example, lying to College officials or forgery of an advisor’s signature – are violations equivalent to cheating and plagiarism in course work. Such dishonesty will be dealt with following the general procedures set forth above. Cases are reviewed individually and according to the circumstances of the violation; possible penalties include suspension or dismissal from the College.

Grades are considered to be official at the time they are submitted by the faculty. Questions concerning grades must be called to the attention of the instructor immediately after the official grade report is received. Formal grade appeals must be submitted within 30 working days of the date on which the grade was issued from the Office of Registration and Records. An exception to the 30-day time limit requires formal petition to and approval of the Academic Standing Committee.

Procedures for Grade Appeals

If a student believes that a final grade has been influenced by matters other than academic performance, class attendance and punctuality in submitting assignments, then the following steps are to be followed.

Initial Conference. The student may request an initial conference with the instructor to discuss the matter. If a face-to-face meeting is not possible, this conference can take place by video conferencing (i.e. Zoom) or via e-mail. If the student and the faculty member reach consensus on a grade change, then the procedure continues with the Written Notification step below.

Second Conference. If the student is unsatisfied with the outcomes of the initial conference, then the student may submit a request in writing for a second conference on the matter to the School Dean. If the School Dean assigned the final grade, a second faculty member from the School should be included. For the meeting, the student will prepare a written statement outlining the basis for the appeal. The student also has the right to have a faculty member, another student, or a member of the Center for Student Success present as a silent observer. Due to the nature of this second conference, it should be scheduled as a face-to-face meeting. If a face-to-face meeting is not possible, this conference can take place video conferencing (i.e. Zoom). The decision regarding the course grade in question will be made by the faculty member in consultation with the Dean (or equivalent).

Written Notification. Following either the initial conference or the second conference, as appropriate, the faculty member will provide the student written notification of the decision. A copy of this notification is sent to the Dean (or equivalent) and the Associate Provost for Student Learning. Should the faculty member and the Dean (or equivalent) not be in agreement following the second conference, both the faculty member and the Dean (or equivalent) will give written statements to the Chair of Academic Standing Committee explaining the reasons for upholding or altering the grade. The Chair of Academic Standing Committee will then review the matter, recommend action, and will inform the student in writing of the recommended action.

Academic Standing Committee. The student will have the alternative of (1) accepting the grade recommended by the faculty member or the Dean of the School [in the case of a difference between the faculty member and the Dean (or equivalent)], or (2) requesting a hearing before the Academic Standing Committee. The request for a hearing must be presented in writing to the Chair of Academic Standing Committee within ten business days of receipt of the notice of information. In no case may the Academic Standing Committee impose a grade lower than the one originally determined by the faculty member or the Dean of the School, as the case may be. The Academic Standing Committee’s decision is final.

Note: If the School Dean is serving as the Chair of the Academic Standing Committee and assigned the grade in question, then the Associate Provost for Student Learning will participate in the processes, as described, in replace of the Chair of the Academic Standing Committee.

Petition of Exception to Academic Policy

Students have the right to appeal to the Academic Standing Committee if they believe they have a unique set of circumstances that warrants an exception of written policy established by Faculty for Elizabethtown College students. Petition forms may be found online or for pickup in the Office of Registration and Records. It is the student’s responsibility to provide sufficient information on why their unique situation warrants an exception to College policy.

Official Electronic Correspondence

All students are provided with a college e-mail account (@etown.edu). These accounts are considered the college’s official method of electronic correspondence and students are required to check this e-mail account on a regular basis, including during holiday breaks and summer. Students will be provided with their account information (username and password) prior to matriculation. This address is used for official correspondence, so students should check their email regularly at http://mail.etown.edu.