Academic Policies and Procedures

Academic Advising Policy

Philosophy Statement

The Malone University educational experience should be one in which students investigate God’s creation through major and minor areas of study, based upon a liberal arts foundation, as they discover what it means to carry out the biblical mandate of stewardship as God’s image-bearers in our world. Malone University provides students with academic advisers to help students plan and create for themselves a rich and meaningful Christian education within Malone University’s curriculum. Through its schools and departments Malone University has developed programs, courses, and other opportunities designed to equip students to understand and appreciate the theories and practices appropriate to their chosen areas of study or professional education and training. The distinction of advising at Malone University is to help students take full advantage of the University’s integration of Christianity with academic and professional goals.

Procedural Statement

Academic advising is a vital part of the learning process at Malone University. One of the most important persons in a student’s academic experience is the adviser. Academic advising is most effective when all participants commit to the process, do their respective parts, and reflect on the implications and benefits of the results. Students should work closely with their academic advisers.

The Office of Advising and Testing will assign advisers to first-year students who select majors during their first semester or first year at Malone. These assignments will be made in accordance with students’ academic interests and goals. A request for a change of adviser is permissible provided that the adviser is a faculty person in the student’s major field and the request is processed through the Office of Advising and Testing. A student who has not declared a major will continue to be advised through the Office of Advising and Testing, but may at any time request an assignment to a faculty adviser. See below for additional information.

Policy Statement

Faculty Adviser Role: The faculty adviser will assist in the advising process by guiding the student advisee through the planning and scheduling of courses, internships, and other features possible within the Malone University educational program. The adviser and advisee should meet regularly, as appropriate to that advisee’s needs and interests in scheduling courses and opportunities that Malone offers.

The faculty adviser will:

1. be available on a regular basis for consultation and post his or her availability in a timely manner.
2. encourage students to make and keep regular advising appointments.
3. discuss curricular and programmatic options and requirements with the advisee, while being respectful of the advisee’s position of bearing ultimate responsibility for his or her academic decisions.
4. monitor the advisee’s academic progress and stress the importance of academic integrity.
5. encourage the advisee to reflect on the academic and financial consequences of decisions related to degree and course selection.
6. direct the advisee to appropriate resources available to help in the resolution of academic problems.
7. evaluate the advising system, when requested, in order to strengthen the advising process.
8. fulfill additional responsibilities as determined and published by the University.

Student Responsibilities: Students bear ultimate responsibility for decisions and actions that determine their success at Malone University. The following list is intended to help clarify the responsibilities that the student, as advisee, bears.

Among other responsibilities the student will:

1. make informed decisions based on the published requirements in the University academic catalog for the student’s chosen degree and educational experience.
2. make and keep appointments with the adviser.
3. obtain the necessary information for course selection and program planning.
4. prepare for advising sessions and bring appropriate resources or materials.
5. communicate honestly and fully during advising discussions.
6. secure the adviser’s signature on registration forms and register for classes on time.
7. become knowledgeable of the institution’s academic procedures, and of the requirements of the chosen major(s).
8. reflect on the academic and financial consequences of decisions pursuant to the chosen academic program(s).
9. fulfill additional responsibilities as determined and published by the University.

Academic Credit through Examination or Establishment of Proficiency

The following policies apply:

1. Tests are normally given for lower-level courses (100 and 200). Exceptions (300- and 400- level courses) must be approved by the Provost, Dean, and the Department Chair.
2. Departments shall decide which lower level courses shall be allowed credit by examination.
3. Generally, a student may not receive credit in a course which is below or at the level of a course already taken in the same field.
4. Standardized tests approved by the department are used whenever possible.
5. An administrative fee of $40 is charged for each test and must be paid in the Advising and Testing Office.
6. A grade of A or B must be received in order to establish credit. When the credit is purchased, it will be charged at $30 per credit hour.
7. A grade of C may waive that course from the student’s requirements for the cost of the administrative fee only.
8. Credit will not be given until such has been certified by the Office of Advising and Testing.
9. A student may not receive credit/proficiency by exam for a course in which he/she was enrolled for part or all of the course (including enrollment as an auditor).
10. A student may not use the credit/proficiency by exam procedure to remove a failing grade from his/her record.
11. A student is allowed only one credit/proficiency by exam attempt per Malone course.
12. A student may not use the credit/proficiency by exam procedure after having entered into the final 15 semester hours of curriculum. Exceptions must be approved by the Provost through the Academic Petition process (see below).
13. It is possible to earn up to 62 semester hours through credit by any of the four options following.

ACE, CLEP, DSST, PEP Credit

The College Level Examination Program and the Proficiency Examination Program are national testing programs for awarding of college credit. Malone will grant up to a total of 20 semester hours of credit toward the Bachelor’s degree from any of these four programs. Credit is awarded based on the ACE credit recommended standard. A transcript service fee of $15 per course is charged for adding credit to a transcript from ACE (Nursing Acceleration Challenge Exam, NLN), CLEP, DSST (formerly DANTES), or PEP scores and will be added to the student’s bill in the Business Office.

Advanced Placement (AP) Credit

The Advanced Placement Program is a national testing program available to high school students for awarding college credit. A score of 3, 4, or 5 earns college credit that can be used to waive certain General Education, major, or elective requirements. Malone will grant up to a total of 30 semester hours of credit toward the Bachelor’s degree from AP credit. Official score reports of all AP tests should be sent by College Board to the Office of Advising and Testing. A transcript service fee of $15 is charged for adding credit to a transcript from AP credits.

Bypass Credit

Considering that certain courses are sequential in nature, the successful completion of the second course in a sequence would indicate proficiency in the prerequisite course. Therefore, a student who receives a grade of “C” or better in the listed course is entitled to credit for the designated prerequisite courses. A student may not use bypassed credit to remove a failing grade from the academic transcript. Bypass credit may be purchased at $30 per credit hour with completion of a form obtainable from the Office of the Registrar. See porgrams: Spanish, BA , Spanish Minor , Spanish Education, BSE  and Mathematics, BA  for approved courses for bypass credit.

Credit for Prior Learning

See Educational Options and Enhancements  for details.

General Education Proficiency Testing

See General Education  for details.

Change of Requirements

Periodically, it is necessary for the University to make changes in academic policies and programs. The University reserves the right to make these changes which can include (but not be limited to) the following:

• Altering the number of credits and/or courses required in a major field of study
   
• Changing testing programs and/or requirements based upon the University’s continuing evaluation of its goals, programs, procedures, and assessment methods
   
• Deleting courses
   
• Amending courses by increasing or decreasing the credits of specific courses or by varying the content of specific courses
   
• Offering substitute courses in the same or a related field.

A change shall be effective immediately upon its approval unless stated otherwise and shall pertain to all students regardless of their date of matriculation. For a continuing student, if a change is determined to cause undue hardship, an academic petition may be approved which alleviates the hardship. For a readmitted student whose length of separation from the University is determined to be significant, the University may enforce the change(s) without the option of academic petition to ensure that the student will complete degree requirements that reflect the University’s current standards. Any such determinations will be made by the appropriate Dean in cooperation with the Department Chair and the Provost.

Class Attendance

All students are expected to attend class regularly. No student may continue to live in the residence halls, participate in co-curricular activities and/or receive financial aid who does not do so. Failure to attend class does not constitute official withdrawal from a course. (See Withdrawals below.)

Please refer to the Class Attendance section of the Student Handbook for additional information.

Classification of Students

Auditors

Students enrolled part-time or for more than 18 semester hours, who wish to attend a traditional classroom course without earning credit, may audit the course at 50% of the current tuition fee. Students enrolled in the traditional block tuition (12-18 hours) may register to audit courses free provided their total hours, including the audits, remain within the block (see list of exceptions). In either case, registration for audit courses requires the consent of the instructor. No free audits are permitted during summer sessions; all are charged at 50% of the current tuition rate. Course fees associated with audits are the responsibility of the student and are not subject to discount.

The following types of courses are not available on an audit basis:

• cooperative education (co-op)
• distributed learning (on-line) courses
• field experience
• internships
• laboratories
• music lessons/ensembles
• nursing clinicals
• off-campus programs
• student teaching

Degreed Students

Students who have completed the requirements for a baccalaureate degree are permitted to take additional courses (e.g., for teacher licensure, a second degree or personal enrichment).

Full-Time Students

Full-time students are enrolled for a minimum of twelve hours in a standard semester.

Graduates

Recipients of baccalaureate degrees from Malone University may enroll for any undergraduate courses within the block (12 to 18 hours) at one-half the normal block-tuition rate. This discount does not apply to tutorial courses, advanced topics, or individual music instruction for students billed at the part-time rate. The graduate discount may not be combined with any other discount that is offered through Malone including the Malone Transition to Teaching (MT3) discount.

International Students

Prospective students holding non-U.S. citizenship may write for a special descriptive sheet covering their primary concerns. Because delays of several months are frequently encountered, the admission process should be initiated well in advance of the intended date for the entrance to class. Demonstrations of proficiency in English and ability to finance the study are among the prerequisites for admission.

Non-Degree Students

Students who have met the minimum entrance requirements may be admitted by the Director of Admissions, in consultation with the Provost, to study for credit not leading toward a degree. To remain eligible for continued enrollment in the University, such students are expected to meet the same academic standards as degree candidates. They may elect courses for which they qualify without regard for general education requirements of the University.

A student may not enroll as a non-degree student after twenty semester hours of credit at Malone have been accumulated. After the twenty-hour limit has been reached, a non-degree student must matriculate as a regular student subject to all institutional requirements. Credit earned while a non-degree student can be applied toward a degree by notification to the Office of the Registrar.

Readmitted Students

Students of Malone University who interrupt their academic work for a standard semester or more must be approved by the Registrar before re-enrolling. Applications for readmission are available through the Office of the Registrar or the Admissions Center. Readmitted students are registered through the Office of Advising and Testing.

Regular Students

Each student working toward a degree is assigned a class standing by the Office of the Registrar at the beginning of each academic semester. Class standing is assigned on the following basis:

Senior Citizens

Students who are age 60 or older may audit courses free of charge on a space available basis. (This privilege does not apply to music, advanced topics, MMP, tutorial, or activity courses.) Students who are age 70 or older may take courses for credit for 50% of tuition on a space available basis. It is the student’s responsibility to notify the University of eligibility for these policies. All course fee charges will be paid by the student and are not subject to discount.

Special Students

Auditors, transients, post secondary enrollments, degreed students, non-degree students.

Transfer Students

Malone University welcomes transfer students. Every effort is made to correlate the work previously completed with the requirements for a degree here. Transfer students must provide the official transcript from each institution attended beyond high school. These records become the property of Malone University and are considered a part of the student’s official file and permanent record. Failure to report prior college or university attendance (including early admission) or to furnish official transcript(s) cancels all enrollment privileges.

1. Students with good records of scholarship and conduct in other accredited institutions should apply to the Director of Admissions.
2. Students under 21 years of age and with fewer than 30 semester credits of accredited transfer work must submit a high school transcript or GED scores along with college or university transcript(s). A student under 21 years of age and having fewer than 30 semester credits of accredited transfer work must submit results from the ACT or SAT in addition to a high school transcript or GED scores.
3. No student will be permitted to enroll until official transcripts have been received.
4. The average grade in courses allowed for transfer from each school must be 2.0 or higher (on a 4.0 scale). This means that for every grade of “D” accepted there must be another grade of at least “B” for an equal number of credits.
5. Courses accepted by transfer will be recorded with the course number, title, and credit value; no grade point value will appear on the record and no grade point average will be calculated for the coursework listed. However, the grade point average for all coursework in the major (including transfer courses) will be calculated. The grade point average of all college or university work attempted will be used to determine graduation honors. (For further clarification, see Graduation Honors below.)
6. To graduate, a student must complete at least 30 semester hours at Malone University. These 30 semester hours cannot in any part include credit for extra-collegiate learning or credit by examination. No rigid standard exists for the number of credits that can be transferred from regionally accredited two-year colleges, Bible colleges, liberal arts colleges, etc. The number of hours allowable may be different in each case, as determined by five variable considerations: (1) the kinds of courses presented; (2) the grades earned in each course; (3) the course of study pursued at Malone University; (4) the credit recommendations of the publication, “Transfer Credit Practices of Designated Educational Institutions” (pub., AACRAO); and (5) the academic record established at Malone during the first 15 semester hours of attendance.
7. All transfer credit is tentative until a student has successfully completed at least 15 semester hours with not less than a 2.0 gpa. Transfer credits will be posted to the student’s permanent record only after the above requirements are met. A transfer student admitted to Malone must apply for a major (upon completion of required tests). Prospective teachers must also apply for admission to teacher education.

Transient Students

Students working toward a degree at another college or university may enroll for courses at Malone as transient students. Transient students must present a letter from the dean or registrar of the college/ university in which they are enrolled indicating approval of the specific courses to be taken. The $20.00 admission fee is charged once although the student may attend several semesters or sessions. Not more than one year of full-time study will be permitted.

Correspondence Courses

Malone will accept up to nine semester hours of correspondence work from an accredited institution, provided each course carries a grade of at least C and is applicable to the student’s program. Correspondence credits may not be used in meeting the residency requirements.

Course Numbers and Notations

• Lower-level courses (100-299) are usually taken by freshmen and sophomores.
• Upper-level courses (300-499) are ordinarily available only to juniors and seniors with adequate background in that field, except by faculty permission.
• A Comma (101, 102) indicates that the first course must be completed before the second is elected.
• Courses numbered 250 are special courses which meet a specific but temporary need.
• Courses numbered 420 are research courses open only to juniors and seniors in the area of study.
• Courses numbered 430 are usually practicum/internship courses open only to juniors and seniors in the area of study.
• Courses numbered 450 (Advanced Topics) are open only to juniors and seniors who are majors in the area and who have completed or are in regularly scheduled courses. These courses are for independent study or special classes for superior students.
• Courses numbered 460 are seminar courses open only to juniors and senior in the area of study.

Dean’s List

A list of those students who achieve academic honors is prepared for the Provost at the close of each standard semester. Students on the dean’s list shall have carried a minimum of twelve hours with grade and shall have received a grade point average of 3.5 or above. In addition, a list is prepared recording those achieving academic honors for each academic year.

Notice: For students involved in student teaching, the twelve hours with grade rule is waived. However, the student must meet the following three requirements: 1) a grade point average of 3.5 or above for the semester of student teaching, 2) a cumulative grade point average of 3.25 or above and 3) a previous appearance on the Dean’s List.

Degrees

Malone is authorized by the Ohio Board of Regents to grant the following degrees: Master of Arts in Christian Ministries, Master of Arts in Education, Master of Business Administration, Master of Science in Nursing, Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Science in Education, and Bachelor of Science in Nursing.

Electives

After providing for the required general education courses and the required courses in the chosen major, students are encouraged to thoughtfully plan elective courses to strengthen their major field and broaden their education for life. These courses will help students reach the total requirement of 124 semester hours for graduation.

Final Examinations

At the close of the fall and spring semesters four days are provided for final examinations. Two hours are allowed for each examination. The examination schedule is published at the time of registration. Students are required to take examinations at the indicated times. Petitions for exceptions necessitated by severe personal hardships or academic hardships (e.g., three consecutive examinations on one day; four or five exams on one day; two conflicting exams) must be submitted to the Provost at least two weeks prior to the first day of final examinations. Final examinations will not be rescheduled to accommodate student travel.

Forgiveness – Academic

The Academic Forgiveness Policy grants the student returning to Malone University, after the prescribed period of absence, an opportunity to have his or her Malone academic standing reflect the increased maturity and improved level of academic performance reached since the interruption of studies.

To be eligible, a returning student must not have been enrolled at Malone for a period of at least four calendar years. (For a student enlisted in the U.S. Armed Forces, that period of nonenrollment is two years.) Once the returning student has successfully completed 15 additional hours with at least a 2.0 gpa, all grades lower than 2.0 earned during pre-interruption University work may be disregarded in the “cumulative grade point average.”

Students desiring to have this policy applied to their prior Malone work must file a written petition with the Provost. If the petition for Academic Forgiveness is granted, the following actions will be taken:

1. All courses in which grades below 2.0 were received prior to readmission to Malone will be retained on the academic transcript, but will be bracketed with the notation “Academic Forgiveness Policy in effect.”
2. The bracketed quality points will not be figured in the cumulative gpa.
3. However, the grades in all courses within the major will be calculated and must average at least 2.25 or higher in some departments. If a student fails to achieve a 2.0 gpa for the first 15 semester hours of graded coursework following readmission to Malone, he or she may petition again at the close of that semester in which he or she completes 30 semester hours of graded coursework. Eligibility does not extend beyond these 30 semester hours.
4. All post-secondary coursework, including all transfer and Malone courses forgiven through this policy, will be used in calculating the grade point average for determining Graduation Honors.

The Academic Forgiveness Policy is non-selective. It applies to all completed pre-interruption coursework taken at Malone University.

Grading System

Grade points in the undergraduate programs are assigned for each semester hour of credit earned according to the following system:

Credit or No Credit

Credit or no credit as a grade is non-punitive. Hours receiving credit as a grade are not used in gpa calculations, but are used toward graduation requirements.

Grade Point Average

A student’s grade point average is determined by dividing the total number of quality points earned by the number of hours with letter grade. Total quality points are determined by multiplying the credit value of the course times the letter grade value in the preceding table. [e.g., a B+ in ENG 145 is 3.3 (B+) x 3 (# of credits) = 9.9; an A- in GEN 100 is 3.7 (A-) x 1 (# of credits) = 3.7]

Grade Reports

Grade reports are available to students near the midpoint and at the end of each semester. The midsemester grades are estimates of the student’s progress. They are not permanently recorded and have no affect on the student’s grade point average.

Midsemester grade reports for first-year freshmen are sent to both the student and his/her parent(s) or guardian(s). The midsemester grades of all other students are available via campus web. Midsemester grades are not available for summer school classes.

Incomplete Grades

An I grade protects the student who, through illness or some other unpreventible circumstances, finds it impossible to take final exams or complete some other course requirement. An I will become an F six weeks after the end of the semester unless the work is made up and the grade change authorized by the instructor.

Long-term Grades

An L grade designates satisfactory progress in a long-term course assignment continued beyond the end of the semester. Upon completion of the work, the L is changed to a permanent grade. Students must complete the work within six months after the end of the semester in which they registered for the course, or the grade will become an F.

Withdrawals

Approved withdrawals after the fourth week will be recorded as W.

Graduation

Commencement is held once each year following spring semester (May). Diplomas are dated according to the actual semester of completion (May, August, or December). Students should contact the Office of the Registrar for details.

Graduation Attendance

Attendance at the activities related to graduation is required. Activities included in this requirement are Senior Chapel, Baccalaureate, and Commencement. Petitions for the in absentia granting of degrees should be directed to the Provost.

Graduation Honors

Honors at the time of graduation are given to persons with the following grade point averages: Summa Cum Laude, 3.90-4.00; Magna Cum Laude, 3.70-3.89; Cum Laude, 3.5-3.69. These honors are based upon the cumulative grade point average of all work attempted at all post-secondary institutions attended prior to graduation. To qualify for honors, transfer students must have completed sixty or more semester hours of graded work in residence with a minimum cgpa of 3.5 at Malone University.

Graduation Policies and Requirements

A candidate for the baccalaureate degree must:

• Be approved in a major. The required departmental major gpa necessary for approval in the major must be maintained throughout the entire degree program. If the average drops below the required departmental gpa, approval in the major will be in abeyance until the minimum is reached again.
   
• Accumulate a minimum of 124 semester hours with a cumulative grade point average of not less than 2.00 (or 2.75 overall in teacher education). The residency requirement as stated in the university catalog must also be met (see Residency Requirement below).
   
• Complete a minimum of 39 hours at the 300 and/or 400 level.
   
• Complete all degree requirements which are in effect at the University. These requirements shall include but not be limited to general education requirements and CAAP testing (see General Education ), and major requirements and/or senior level testing specified by each academic department.
   
• File an application for graduation with the Office of the Registrar. The application deadline is November 1 for candidates who plan to complete by the end of a spring semester or a summer session, or May 1 for candidates who plan to complete degree requirements by the end of a fall semester.
   
• Pay in full the account in the Business Office.
   
• Discharge all other obligations (fines, credentials, etc.) at the University.

Grievance Procedure – Academic

The purpose of this grievance procedure is to provide undergraduate Malone students an opportunity to process grievances regarding academic issues (e.g., course grades, class procedures, or academic integrity). A student wishing to pursue an academic grievance should follow the procedure described below.

Informal Process

Initially the student shall present his or her academic grievance informally in a meeting with the appropriate faculty member and his or her immediate supervisor (i.e., the chair of his or her department; or if the school has no chairs, the dean of the school). In the case of a grievance against a department chair, such informal meeting shall be with the department chair and the appropriate dean; and for a grievance against a dean, the meeting shall be with the dean and the Provost. The purpose of any such meeting shall be to seek clarification and resolution through a discussion of the student’s grievance. The student, faculty member, and/or other appropriate academic official shall suggest means of bringing the grievance to resolution. If a satisfactory resolution of the matter is not reached in that manner, the student may then enter the formal process described below.

Formal Process

1. After following the informal grievance process, the student must submit the grievance in writing to the faculty member and his or her immediate supervisor, provided the appropriate conditions are met (see “conditions for filing and handling grievances” below). The student, the faculty member, and his or her supervisor shall meet to review the matter.
   
   1. If the faculty member against whom the grievance has been filed is a regular faculty member in an academic department with a chair, then the immediate supervisor is the department chair.
   2. If the faculty member against whom the grievance has been filed is in a school without chairs, then the immediate supervisor is the Dean of the school.
   3. If the faculty member against whom the grievance has been filed is a department chair, then the immediate supervisor is the Dean of his or her school.
   4. If the faculty member against whom the grievance has been filed is a dean, then the immediate supervisor is the Provost.

Conditions for filing and handling grievances

The student must submit the academic grievance in writing to the immediate supervisor of the faculty member (as defined above). This grievance shall be submitted no later than thirty (30) class days from the date final grades were issued by the Registrar for the course in question. The grievance shall include statements of the grounds for the grievance, supporting evidence and suggested steps to resolve the matter. In the event the grievance is related to a final grade, one or more of the following conditions must be met for a formal grievance to be filed:

1. The student shall provide written evidence that the assigned grade was based on arbitrary, unlawful, or non-academic criteria.
2. The student shall provide written evidence that the assigned grade did not accurately reflect his or her fulfillment of course requirements and/or course policies, as stated in the course syllabus (for example, class attendance, grade standards, or penalty for late or incomplete work), or other applicable requirements of the University.

A copy of the grievance shall be given to the appropriate faculty member. Within ten (10) class days of the receipt of the written grievance, the immediate supervisor shall meet with the student and with the faculty member against whom the grievance has been filed to review the matter. The immediate supervisor shall respond in writing to the student and the faculty member, indicating his or her decision and recommendations regarding the matter, within ten (10) class days of meeting with the student. In the event the formal grievance involves a course grade, the immediate supervisor may recommend that the faculty member change the grade, or that the faculty member review course and/or grading requirements and re-evaluate the grade accordingly, or the immediate supervisor may determine that there is insufficient evidence to support the grievance.

2. Either the student or the faculty member against whom the grievance has been filed may appeal in writing to the next appropriate administrator, provided the appropriate conditions are met (see “conditions for filing and handling appeals” below). The next appropriate administrator is determined as follows:
   1. If the grievance has first been submitted to a department chair, the written appeal shall be submitted to the dean of that chair’s school.
   2. If the grievance has first been submitted to a dean, or if the grievance has been ruled upon by a dean and subsequently appealed by either the student or the faculty member against whom the grievance has been filed, the written appeal shall be submitted to the Provost.

Conditions for filing and handling appeals

Either the student or the faculty member may appeal the decision of the immediate supervisor in writing to the next appropriate administrator who will render a decision in writing within thirty (30) calendar days of receiving the written notice of appeal. A copy of the appeal notice, which must include copies of the grievance and appealed decision shall be given to the party against whom the appeal has been filed, the immediate supervisor who heard the initial grievance, and (if applicable) any other appropriate administrator who has handled the appeal (e.g., a dean or the Provost). After reviewing the appeal notice and accompanying documents, this next appropriate administrator may summarily dismiss the appeal if he or she determines that the appeal clearly is without merit, or if he or she determines that the above-stated conditions for filing a grievance have not been satisfied. If the appeal is summarily dismissed by this administrator there is no further basis for appeal. If he or she has not summarily dismissed the appeal, he or she may meet with the student, faculty member, and/or appropriate administrators who heard the appeal previously to seek further information regarding the merits of the appeal and to assist in making his or her determination.

3. In the event that an appeal has been ruled upon at the Provost level and has not been summarily dismissed by the Provost, either the student or the faculty member against whom the grievance has been filed may appeal the decision of the Provost in writing, to the Deans Council with a copy to the Provost. Following receipt of such appeal notice, if all previous steps of the formal grievance process have been taken, and the grievance has not been summarily dismissed, the Provost within thirty (30) calendar days, shall convene a meeting of the Deans Council which shall act as a review panel for the matter. The Deans Council shall request that Student Senate appoint two student participants and one alternate (to serve if one of the appointees has a conflict of interest or cannot otherwise attend) as ad hoc members for the sole purpose of hearing the appeal. Prior to the meeting, materials, including, but not limited to, the following, shall be distributed to members of the Deans Council: the student’s written grievance (a copy of which shall have been provided to the appropriate faculty member, department chair, dean, and Provost), and any evidence provided by the student in support of it, along with an account by the faculty member, presenting his or her decisions and rationale regarding the matter, and any pertinent information provided by the Provost including the communication regarding his or her decision concerning the resolution of the matter. Neither the Provost, the dean or any other directly involved official shall have a vote in this proceeding, nor shall any such official participate in the meeting of the Council concerning said appeal, unless called in by the Deans Council as a resource person. Council members who have a conflict of interest in the matter shall recuse themselves from the discussion and deliberations of the Deans Council concerning such matter. Acting in its capacity as a review panel, the Deans Council is not empowered to change a grade given by a faculty member, or to force a faculty member to change a grade. In grievance cases related to a final grade, the Deans Council may take one of three actions:
   1. The Council may recommend that the faculty member change the grade.
   2. The Council may recommend that the faculty member review course and/or grading requirements and re-evaluate the grade accordingly.
   3. The Council may deny any requested grade change.

The Deans Council will submit its recommendations in writing to the student, and to the faculty member, department chair, dean, and Provost within fifteen (15) calendar days of the above-described meeting of the Council.

Integrity – Academic

Personal integrity is a behavioral expectation for all members of the Malone University community: faculty, staff, and students. We are called to personal integrity by the desire and obligation to model our lives after that of Jesus Christ. As noted in the biblical Principles underlying the statement of Malone University Community Responsibilities, “Love for and accountability to God are the primary motivation for Christian conduct.” Christ calls us in John 14:15 to keep his commandments and in Ephesians 5:8-9 we are reminded to walk as children of the light showing truth as a fruit of the Spirit. Academic integrity is that part of personal integrity which encompasses all activities in the learning process. It is the consistent demonstration of honorable behavior in all academic endeavors.

There are times, for example, when pressure to minimize work load, increase academic standing, or assist other students may lead to actions that breach academic integrity, and thereby personal integrity as well. Participation in academic activities and/or submission of academic work that includes any form of deception is an inappropriate response to that pressure. Appropriate resources for responding to this pressure are available by consulting with faculty.

Collaborative study endeavors are both permitted and encouraged under certain circumstances. However, it is essential for faculty, staff, and students to have a common understanding of the factors that distinguish acceptable and unacceptable academic behaviors. The list of examples given below describes situations in which academic integrity is not being maintained. It is provided to help clarify academic behaviors that must be avoided. While it does not constitute an exhaustive list, it is sufficiently comprehensive to inform even those students who might otherwise compromise academic integrity unintentionally, unconsciously or as a result of lack of knowledge.

1. Exemplary, Non-Comprehensive Definitions and Explanations Regarding Unacceptable Academic Conduct
   
   
   1. Plagiarism¹
      1. submitting as one’s own work, part or all of an oral or written assignment which is copied, paraphrased, or purchased from another source, including world wide web and other online sources, without proper acknowledgement of that source. In written assignments, using three or more words in succession from a source without quotation marks and proper acknowledgement can be considered plagiarism.
          
      2. submitting as one’s own, course work which has been prepared or extensively revised by someone else
          
   2. Accomplice in Plagiarism
      1. allowing one’s work to be copied
      2. doing work for another student
      3. maintaining a file of papers with the intent that others may review them or use them for submission
      4. offering aid that differs from or exceeds that which is expressly approved by the instructor for any exam or course activity
      5. disseminating confidential information
          
   3. Disruption of Learning
      1. destroying educational resources and materials
      2. removing, destroying, or otherwise compromising the academic work of another student
          
   4. Academic or Scientific Misconduct
      1. misrepresenting attendance or reason for absence
      2. using information or accepting aid which is not approved by the instructor; this may include but is not limited to
         1. using notes during a closed-book test
         2. soliciting information about the contents of an assignment or test
         3. looking at another student’s test paper during testing
      3. accessing and/or disseminating unauthorized material
      4. falsifying data or information for a course activity
      5. submitting work that was already done for a previous course without prior approval of the instructor of the current course
      6. submitting the same work for two concurrent courses without prior approval of both instructors
          
2. Faculty Responsibility in Upholding Malone University’s Academic Integrity Policy
   
   
   1. Responsibility to Inform Students
      1. Faculty members are responsible for clearly communicating the Academic Integrity Policy to students. This is accomplished through two primary methods:
         1. providing information about the policy, and about the importance of reading and understanding the policy, at the beginning of each course
         2. informing all incoming students of the policy through such vehicles as the Humanities 100 course, freshman orientation, and orientation meetings for graduate and other non-traditional programs.
      2. In order to clearly communicate expectations regarding academic integrity for each individual course, faculty members’ syllabi should contain at least the following information:
         1. Definition of Academic Integrity and/or reference to definition and explanation in the Catalog or Student Handbook. NOTE: If a faculty member’s definition of academic integrity differs in any way from that published in the Catalog or Student Handbook, the difference(s) must be clearly articulated in the syllabus.
         2. Examples of academic dishonesty specific to the course
         3. Explanations of the specific sanctions to be imposed. Sanctions could include a required rewrite of a plagiarized paper with a reduction of grade or failure of a test where cheating occurred. The maximum sanction avail able to be imposed by a faculty member is failure of the course. All incidents of infringements of academic integrity by an undergraduate student (including degree-completion students) are to be reported to the Provost or his designate who may take further action in the case of multiple infractions (section III. A.1. b.) and may consult with and advise the faculty member throughout the process.
         4. Reference to appeal process in Catalog
         5. Faculty should clearly and completely discuss the above information and encourage students to seek clarification concerning the policy on the first day of class and throughout the course.
             
   2. Responsibility to Be Aware of Violations – Malone University faculty members are responsible for encouraging academic integrity, while simultaneously being vigilant in observation and intervention when academic integrity may be compromised. Possible actions include remaining in the classroom to monitor student behavior during examinations, arranging classroom seating to avoid crowded conditions during examinations, providing cover sheets for students to use during examinations, actively investigating suspected cases of plagiarism, etc.
       
   3. Responsibility to Address Suspected Violations
      1. Malone University faculty members are responsible for taking steps to investigate suspected violations, and discussing the incident with the student(s) involved. Though this process may result in the decision to impose sanctions, faculty should approach it with the intent to manifest Christian love, seeking a balance of justice and grace, and demonstrating concern for the moral and intellectual development of the student(s).
      2. If a violation of the Academic Integrity Policy is suspected, the faculty member must meet with the student(s) to discuss the incident and determine to the faculty member’s satisfaction whether or not a violation of the Academic Integrity Policy has occurred.
      3. If a student is accused of violating academic integrity, but subsequently the faculty member determines that the student is innocent, or if insufficient evidence exists to justify further action, the student should be informed of this determination in writing. Appropriate confidentiality will be maintained with respect to documents and information related to the accusation.
      4. If the faculty member determines that a violation of academic integrity has occurred, a report should be filed with the Provost’s Office and a duplicate of the report provided to the student and the appropriate Dean/ Department Chair. The report should contain the following information:
         1. Complete description of incident
         2. Date of meeting with the student
         3. Conclusions reached as a result of the meeting
         4. Sanctions imposed
         5. Recommendations to the Provost regarding whether or not additional action should be taken
         6. Description of the appeals process available to the student or reference to this process as published in the Catalog or Student Handbook
         7. Student and faculty signatures and date indicating that the report has been delivered to the student
      5. The faculty member should keep originals of tests, papers, etc. that provide evidence of the violation.
      6. The student, after meeting with the faculty member, may respond to this report if he or she desires. The student may initiate an appeal by submitting in writing his or her response to the situation to the appropriate Dean/ Department Chair with a duplicate of this letter to the Provost and faculty member. The student and department should proceed with the grievance procedure, formal process, as outlined in the Catalog.
          
3. Continuation of the Process in Upholding the Academic Integrity Policy
   
   
   1. Initial Involvement of the Provost
      
      
      1. After the submission of a faculty report in the Provost’s Office, the Provost may take either of the following actions:
         1. If no other reports exist, no appeal has been made, and the Provost deems that the faculty member’s corrective action was appropriate, the report will be filed within the office. If future reports are received pertaining to the same student, the Provost will then have access to previous reports and may choose to proceed to the step described in Subsection (b) below. The contents of this file will be purged based upon the established retention of records policy governing such reports².
         2. If the Provost’s file indicates that the student has committed a serious violation of the Academic Integrity Policy, or that there have been multiple violations by said student, the Provost may submit a request for a hearing before the Deans Council concerning such violation(s). The purpose of this Deans Council hearing is to determine whether additional University-level action is justified by the serious or repeated nature of academic integrity violations. Previous actions taken with regard to the student’s academic violation(s) will be upheld. If the Deans Council determines that a student’s record of violation(s) is of sufficient seriousness that action at the University level is warranted, then the Deans Council will take action to impact the student’s current and future status at Malone University, such as suspension or expulsion.
             
   2. Final Involvement of the Provost – the student may request an appeal of the Deans Council’s decision. The Provost will review an appeal submitted by the student, all documentation provided to the Council, and the written conclusions of their deliberations and recommendations. The action of the Provost will be considered final.

¹Confusion can arise in distinguishing between collaborative work and plagiarism. The following excerpt from The Writer’s Community (by David J. Klooster and Patricia L. Bloem, Martin’s Press, 1995) is intended to help resolve any potential misunderstandings:

“All good writing builds on the work of previous writers, but the best writing enriches that work, departs from it, transcends it, or even changes it, helping readers to see what came before in new ways. Writers on any subject need to know what others have said about the topic, and if they are to contribute to that conversation, they need to say something new…An original thinker moves the conversation forward by helping the participants see something new. A plagiarist pretends to be original and thereby risks holding the conversation back or even halting it altogether. For any conversation to become a true discussion, the speakers and listeners must be able to trust one another. Plagiarism breaks that trust…What is finally at stake, it seems to us, is that a relationship of trust exists between the reader and writer, and any deception or misrepresentation or dishonesty on the writer’s part – or the writers’ parts – violates that trust. Plagiarism, one form of this violation, is a serious offense, not first of all because it is stealing, but because it is dishonesty. Integrity is at stake.”

²Files/reports will be maintained by the Provost for a period of at least five (5) years after the last date of the student’s enrollment or at least one (1) year after the student’s actual graduation, whichever last occurs.

Petition – Academic

Due to special or unique circumstances, a student may need to amend or alter the requirements within his/her academic program. The academic petition process provides the means for this kind of request and the petition itself serves as the official documentation for any such change that is approved. The process is as follows: 1) Obtain the Academic Petition Form from the Office of the Registrar. 2) Fill out the form according to the instructions and obtain the signature of the Chair of the Department involved in the request. 3) Return the signed form to the Office of the Registrar. Final approval will be granted only at the discretion of the Dean of the School involved in the request.

Registration

During the fall and spring semesters, enrolled students may preregister for the following academic semester. Programs of study are planned with the aid of advisers.

All students are expected to register on the days designated on the University calendar. Permission for late registration must come in advance from the Registrar. All late registrants pay a $20 fee. A new student may not register for classes until officially admitted to the University.

Academic Advising

Each student entering Malone University has the opportunity to meet with a professional in the Office of Advising and Testing (A & T) to plan and register for courses. As the student selects a major, a faculty adviser is assigned by A & T in that particular major. A student may elect to choose an adviser during the first semester at Malone; undeclared majors will continue to be advised through A & T. All requests for a change of adviser are processed through A & T and permissible if the adviser is a faculty person in the student’s major field of study. Each student must work with his/her adviser and have class schedules approved each semester. See page 27 for the entire advising policy.

Adding Classes

During the first week of a semester, a student may add additional classes to his/her schedule by obtaining and completing a form supplied by the Office of the Registrar or the Office of Advising and Testing. During the second week of a semester, the form must be signed by the instructor of the class. No classes may be added after the second week of a semester.

Class Load and Overloads

The normal academic year class load is 15-16 semester hours. A student enrolled for more than 16 semester hours is considered to be carrying an overload. A student must enroll for a minimum of 12 semester hours to be classified as full-time.

A student with a minimum cumulative gpa of 3.0 may register for more than 18 semester hours with permission of the Registrar.

A student living in a residence hall must carry at least 12 hours unless other arrangements have been approved by the Vice President for Student Development.

Course Level Policy

A student may not register for a class which is below the level of a course already passed or in which proficiency has been established. Students who do so will have the hours removed from their accumulation of hours so that they will not count toward graduation requirements. (This policy also applies to credit by examination – see above.)

Prerequisites

When prerequisite courses are required for entry into a course, it is expected that the enrolled student will make sure these requirements are fulfilled prior to entry into that course. During the registration process the Office of the Registrar will block students from registering for courses whose prerequisites have not been met. It is recommended that students and faculty advisors actively review student information during the advising process to make sure a registration delay does not occur due to missing prerequisites. In order to waive a prerequisite, a written request signed by the Chair or Dean of the department or school housing the prerequisite course must be submitted to the Office of the Registrar.

Repeating a Course

Courses may be repeated at Malone in order to improve performance and to raise grades. The lower grade is not included in computing the cumulative grade point average. Permission is not normally granted to repeat a course by enrolling as a transient student at another college or university; however, when permission is granted, grades received are figured in the overall average as are the original grades. All entries remain a part of the student’s permanent academic record. A student must indicate that a course is being repeated at the time of registration. Forms are available in the Office of the Registrar.

Residency Requirement

To graduate, a student must complete at least thirty semester hours at Malone University. The 30 hours cannot be comprised in any part by Credit-for-Life-Experience or credit by examination.

At least twelve hours of one’s major must be completed at Malone. With the permission of the appropriate Department Chair, Dean, and the Provost, proficiency may be established by examination and the hour requirements modified. Not more than ten semester hours of transient study may be incorporated as part of the last thirty hours of a degree program, except in clinical laboratory science.

Second Degrees

A student desiring a second baccalaureate degree must complete a total of at least 154 hours. This represents at least thirty hours of additional work; twenty-four hours of this shall be done in residence. The student must also meet all the graduation requirements of each degree.

Standing – Academic

For purposes of continuation in the University, the cumulative grade point average is computed on all post-secondary work taken at Malone. Any student who does not meet the standard of minimum acceptable progress adopted by the Faculty will be placed on academic probation for the following semester.

All students must have an average of two quality points per semester hour on all work taken at Malone – the equivalent of a C average – as a minimum requirement for approval in a major and for graduation. In other words, an acceptable cumulative grade point average for all students is 2.0. However, students with freshman* classification are provided an exception as follows:

* The grade point averages noted in the above chart do not apply to students granted conditional admission. A student granted conditional admission should refer to the gpa expectation outlined in the terms of his/her enrollment contract.

Academic Probation

Probation is an emphatic warning to the student that the quality of work must improve if the student plans to graduate. When a student’s cumulative grade point average falls below 2.00 or, in the case of freshmen, below the standards described above the student will be placed on Academic Probation for the following semester. Students placed on academic probation are permitted to register for a maximum of 13 credits for each semester in which they are on academic probation. Exceptions can be granted only with the approval of the Registrar. Students on probation are advised to curtail extracurricular activities and work schedules.

Continuation on Academic Probation

The student who achieves satisfactory progress, but still falls below the minimum standard, will be continued on academic probation.

Removal from Academic Probation

A student will be removed from academic probation at the end of the semester that the cumulative grade point average is above the minimum.

Academic Suspension

Failure to achieve satisfactory progress during the probation semester will result in academic suspension, which implies complete separation from the University for at least the subsequent regular semester. The University suspends any student who fails to earn at least a 1.0 gpa during any semester, regardless of classification or number of hours completed, or any student who is so indifferent or incompetent that neither the student nor University benefits.

A student suspended has the right to appeal the decision to the Admissions and Retention Committee.

Suspended students applying for re-admission must present evidence in support of the request.

Academic Dismissal

Any student who has been academically suspended two times will have Academic Dismissal recorded on the permanent record which implies complete and permanent separation from the University.

Student Records

Malone University has a policy of administering and maintaining student records which is in compliance with the Family Educational Rights Privacy Act of 1974. This policy provides students with certain rights of access to these educational records as delimited in FERPA. Directory information is subject to release by the University and includes the student’s name, local and permanent address, telephone listing, major, participation in officially recognized activities and sports, weight and height (if a member of an athletic team), dates of attendance, degrees and awards received, place of high school graduation, and most recent educational institution attended.

Students wishing to restrict access to directory information must file a written request with the Office of the Registrar. The complete policy concerning this Act is available upon request from the Office of the Registrar.

Transcripts

Transcripts of grades are sent from the Office of the Registrar only upon the written request of the student or legal notice requiring compliance. A student’s account in the Business Office and all other holds must be paid in full or cleared before the transcript will be released. Transcript charges are as follows:

• $5.00 per copy
• $5.00 per copy plus additional $5.00 charge for expedited, same day, or authorized fax services
• $5.00 per copy plus additional $20.00 charge (or higher depending on location) per mail location for next day FedEx or similar mail service (11:00am deadline; no PO Box addresses)

Transient Work at Another College or University

Any Malone student with a cgpa of at least 2.0 who wishes to take coursework at another accredited institution of higher education must complete a form called the Request for Transient Certification. This form is used to verify that the course(s) in question will be acceptable at Malone. It is obtainable in the Office of the Registrar. Transient work at another college or university is NOT covered by financial aid. (See Repeating a Course for additional information - above.)

Tutorials

Any junior or senior needing a 300-400 level course which is not currently being offered may obtain forms in the Office of the Registrar and see the Dean/Department Chair for permission to register for a tutorial. The following factors will govern the decisions, which will be made by the Dean/Department Chair:

1. the validity of need;
2. the inability to substitute an offered course;
3. the availability of a teacher;
4. the student’s ability and willingness to meet the demands of independent study.

Withdrawals

Failure to attend class or merely giving notice to the instructor will not be regarded as official notice of withdrawal and will result in a student receiving a grade of F for the class or classes involved. The student must pay in full for classes which are not officially dropped.

Withdrawal from a course

Approved course withdrawals in the first 4 weeks are processed in the Office of the Registrar. (Instructor signature required after 2nd week.) Such withdrawals will not appear on the transcript. Tuition refunds are prorated according to withdrawal date (see Fee Payment Policies  ). Beginning with the fifth week, all course withdrawals will appear as a grade of W (withdrawal) on the transcript. Such withdrawals must be approved by the course instructor with a recommendation from the student’s academic adviser. It remains the student’s responsibility to keep the academic advisers aware of such actions throughout the semester. Course withdrawals will not be approved after the ninth week of the semester except for unusual reasons such as extended illness. Exceptions must be approved by the Provost.

Courses offered on an accelerated basis or during a summer session may not be dropped after 3/5ths of the scheduled duration of the class. Exceptions must be approved by the Provost.

Withdrawal from the University

If a student must withdraw from all courses and leave the University, an official withdrawal form from the Office of the Registrar must be completed. This official withdrawal form must be approved, processed and returned to the Office of the Registrar no later than the last day of classes during the semester. No withdrawal will be approved or processed during the week of final examinations. (See Fee Payment Policies  for refund policy.)