Fulltime Enrollment - Fall and Spring

Undergraduate students must be enrolled for a minimum of 12 quarter hours to be classified as fulltime; registration for a minimum of 8 quarter hours is full-time for graduate students. Special permission must be granted to enroll in more than 18 hours for undergraduate students or 14 hours for graduate students per quarter. Such permission must be approved in by the Academic Dean before registration.

Grading Policies

Grades shall be assigned to individual students on the basis of the instructor's judgment of the student's scholastic achievement using the grading system below.

Grading System

Other Grade Marks Used

Incomplete Grade (I)
The "I" (Incomplete) grade is given when the course is not completed by the end of the term for acceptable reasons. If this grade is not removed within ten weeks of the end of the quarter, it becomes an "F."

Students are permitted to withdraw from courses and receive a "W" only during the first half of any course. Students desiring an exception to this rule must petition through the Registrar's Office. "W" will not be calculated in the grade point average.

In Progress Grade (IP)
The grade of "IP" (In Progress) is issued only in the special circumstance of a course registered for in one term is to be completed by registering for the companion course in a subsequent term. Upon successful completion of the final course, the instructor changes the IP grade to the appropriate grade. IP grades are not included when calculating the grade point average.

Withdrawal Grade (W)
A grade of "W" (Withdrawal) is issued when a student formally withdraws from a course. The withdrawal must be initiated by the student in accordance with the procedures and due deadline dates. "W" grades carry no credit and are not included when calculating the grade point average.

Missing Grade (M)
A grade of "M" (Missing Grade) is issued when no grade has been reported to the Enrollment Office. "M" grades carry no credit and are not included when calculating the grade point average. "M" grades will change to a grade of "NF", one term after the initial term. Once converted to an "NF", cannot be changed.

Non-Attendance Failure Grade (NF)
The grade of "NF" (Non-Attendance Failure) may be given by a professor for excessive absences by a student or when a student stops attending the class. This grade will be computed in the grade point average like a grade of "F." "NF" grades cannot be changed after initial submission and other grades cannot be changed to a "NF."

Conditional Grade (E)
A grade of "E" (Conditional) is earned only in continuing courses. This grade can be raised to a "D" by doing "C" grade work in the remainder of the course; otherwise, it becomes an "F".

Audit Grade (AU)
A grade of "AU" (Audit) is issued when a student's attendance in an audited course is deemed adequate. AU grades carry no credit and are not included when calculating the grade point average.

Grade Point Averaging and Deficits

The term "average" refers to the grade point average (GPA) for work completed at the university. Grades received at other institutions are NOT averaged with grades received at Olivet University for the purpose of meeting university average requirements.

Averages are determined by computing the ratio of grade points to quarter hours attempted.

A grade point deficit is defined as the number of grade points below a C average on hours attempted at Olivet University. If the grade point average is less than 2.0, there is a grade point deficit.

Only grades higher than C will lower a deficit.

Calculating the Grade Point Average

• Multiply grade value times the number of credit hours for total grade points.
• Divide the total number of grade points by the number of hours carried.

Calculating the Grade Point Deficit

To determine grade point deficit students must first calculate the grade point average.

• Multiply the total Olivet University hours carried for a grade by 2 (for 2.0 GPA) and
• Subtract the total grade points earned to determine the deficit.

For instance, if a student has taken 100 hours for a grade, then 200 grade points are needed for a 2.0 GPA.

If there are 196 grade points, there is a 4-point deficit.

In compiling a student's grade point average, the following factors must also be taken into consideration:

• When transfer credit is awarded, the transfer grade is not computed in the grade point average.
• When a student repeats a course, both the initial grade and the repeat grade appear on the transcript. However, only the last completion mark will be included in the grade point average.

Grade Appeal

The normal appeal procedure begins with a consultation with the professor concerned. The following are the steps to filing a grade appeal:

• Prior to the end of the quarter following the course in which the contested grade is issued, the student will request that the faculty member reconsider the grade that was awarded.
• If dissatisfied with outcome of faculty decision, within 10 days of the faculty member's decision, the student may appeal in writing to the School Dean or Director.
• Within 10 days of the School Dean or Director's decision, the student may submit a written appeal to the Academic Dean.
• The student is responsible to monitor email daily throughout the appeals process.

Academic Honesty

Students shall maintain academic honesty in the conduct of their studies and other learning activities at Olivet University. The integrity of this academic institution, and the quality of the education provided in its degree programs, are based on the principle of academic honesty.

The maintenance of academic integrity and quality education is the responsibility of each student within this University. Cheating and plagiarism in connection with an academic program is as an offense for which a student may be expelled, suspended, put on probation, or given a less severe disciplinary sanction.

Student Responsibilities

• Students are responsible for knowing and understanding the rules of Academic Honesty as outlined in the school catalog, to include fabricating information and data, cheating, facilitating academic dishonesty, and plagiarizing.
• Students are responsible for communicating with the instructor if they do not understand how the policy applies to a particular class or assignment. Students are responsible for utilizing the library resources on academic honesty and plagiarism to fully understand the differences between a citation, giving credit, original writing, and plagiarism.

Faculty Responsibilities

• Faculty must report all incidents of student dishonesty and the actions taken to the Office of the Dean of Students.
• Each faculty should include a statement on Academic Honesty in their syllabi.
• Faculty should keep accurate records and documents regarding the case and their own resolution and consequences for one year from the end of the term.
• Faculty should have a discussion of academic honesty, expectations, and consequences within the first two or three class meetings in order to maintain consistency and uniformity with all classes and students.
• Faculty are encouraged to include creative assignments that require original thought in order to reduce the incidents of student dishonesty.
• Faculty have the ultimate responsibility and discretion when grading students who have been dishonest in class; however, faculty also have the responsibility to be fair and equitable to all students within the same class. Therefore, consequences for like offenses must be similar.
• Grading Policy: It is suggested that each faculty member have a consistent grading policy which will be applied in all cases of academic dishonesty.

Administrative Responsibilities

• Administrators are responsible for knowing and understanding the rules of Academic Honesty to include fabrication, cheating, facilitating academic dishonesty, plagiarism and to take administrative action where necessary.
• Administrators should facilitate a discussion of Academic Honesty at student orientation to ensure that all students are aware of the Academic Honesty issues on campus and how they will be dealt with.
• The Dean of Students shall provide a report each quarter to the Academic Council to include aggregated data for that semester which includes the number and type of cases reported and the disciplinary actions taken.

Student Sanctions

Student sanctions, imposed by the Dean of Students, for violations to the academic honesty policy can include any of the following: a) Warning; b) Probation of Student; c) Suspension; or d) Expulsion

Definitions

Academic dishonesty is an especially serious offense. It diminishes the quality of scholarship and defrauds those who depend upon the integrity of the academic programs. Such dishonesty includes, but is not limited to, the following:

• Cheating: Using or attempting to use unauthorized materials, information, or study aids in any academic exercise.
• Fabrication: Falsification or invention of any information or citation in an academic exercise.
• Facilitating Academic Dishonesty: Intentionally or knowingly helping or attempting to help another to commit an act of academic dishonesty.
• Plagiarism: Intentionally or knowingly representing the words, ideas, or work of another as one's own in any academic exercise.