Academic Policies

Academic Grievance Procedure

The purpose of this grievance procedure is to provide Malone graduate students the opportunity to process grievances regarding academic conditions. (See definition of applicable conditions listed below.) A student wishing to pursue an academic grievance should follow the procedure described below.

Informal Process

Initially, the student must present his or her academic grievance informally in person to the faculty member involved and request review, re-evaluation, and a hearing with that person. If a satisfactory resolution of the matter is not reached in that manner, the student may then enter the formal process.

Formal Process

1. The student(s) must submit the academic grievance in writing to the faculty member and the faculty member’s Graduate Program Director no later than thirty (30) days from the date of the occurrence of the item being grieved. Such written grievance should include statements of the grounds for the grievance, supporting evidence, and suggested steps to resolve the matter. Within fifteen (15) days of receipt of the written grievance, the Graduate Program Director shall arrange appointments with the student and with the faculty member involved.
2. If either person is not satisfied with the decision of the Graduate Program Director it may be appealed to the Associate Provost for Program Support and Improvement. Within fifteen (15) days of receipt of the written grievance and Graduate Director response, the Associate Provost for Program Support and Improvement may dismiss the complaint if he or she determines the grounds for appeal do not rise to the level of a legitimate grievance. If the complaint is dismissed by the Associate Provost for Program Support and Improvement, there is no further ground for student appeal.
3. In the event the grievance is against the Graduate Program Director, the initial written notification by the student must be provided to the Graduate Program Director and the Associate Provost for Program Support and Improvement. The Associate Provost for Program Support and Improvement would arrange appointments with the student and Graduate Program Director involved within fifteen (15) days of receipt of the written grievance. If either person is not satisfied with the decision of the Associate Provost for Program Support and Improvement, it may be appealed to the Provost. If the complaint is dismissed by the Provost, there is no further ground for student appeal.
4. In the event the Associate Provost for Program Support and Improvement (or Provost) determines the student’s grievance meets one of the conditions for filing a grievance, he or she shall, within thirty (30) days, convene the Graduate Council, which will act as a review panel for the matter. At this meeting the student may present his or her grievance and any evidence in support of it. The faculty member will present his or her decisions and rationale regarding the matter. The Graduate Program Director shall not have a vote in this proceeding, nor shall he or she participate in the meeting of the Council for said appeal unless called in by the Graduate Council as a resource person. If the student or the faculty member involved should be a member of the Graduate Council, this person would likewise be excluded from the deliberations of the Graduate Council. Acting in its capacity as a review panel, the Graduate Council is not empowered to change a grade given by a faculty member or to force a faculty member to change a grade. The Graduate Council may take one of three actions: it may recommend that the faculty member change the grade, it may recommend that the instructor revise course and/or grading requirements and re-evaluate the grade accordingly, or it may dismiss the case. The Graduate Council will submit its recommendations in writing to the student, the faculty member, and the Director within fifteen (15) days of the aforementioned meeting.

A formal grievance can only be filed if one of the following conditions applies:

1. The student can provide evidence that an assigned grade was based on arbitrary, unlawful, or non-academic criteria.
2. The student can provide evidence that the grievance issue does not accurately reflect his or her fulfillment of course requirements and/or course policies, as stated in the course syllabus (e.g., course grades, class procedures, or academic integrity), or other applicable requirements of the University.

Academic Integrity Policy

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. 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 workload, 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 providing information about the policy, and about the importance of reading and understanding the policy, at the beginning of each course.
      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. NOTE: If a faculty member’s definition of academic integrity differs in any way from that published in the Catalog, 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 available to be imposed by a faculty member is failure of the course. All incidents of infringements of academic integrity by a graduate student 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, the appropriate Graduate Program Director, and the Associate Provost for Program Support and Improvement. 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 Graduate Catalog
         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 Graduate Program Director and the Associate Provost for Program Support and Improvement with a duplicate of this letter to the Provost and faculty member. The student and school 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 Academic Leadership Team concerning such violation(s). The purpose of this Academic Leadership Team 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 Academic Leadership Team determines that a student’s record of violation(s) is of sufficient seriousness that action at the University level is warranted, then the Academic Leadership Team 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 Academic Leadership Team’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.

¹ Confusion 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.”

² Files/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.

Academic Probation

A student with regular admission status will be placed on academic probation at the end of any semester that the cumulative graduate g.p.a. falls below the required cumulative g.p.a. of 3.0.

A student is automatically removed from probation at the conclusion of any semester in which the cumulative g.p.a. meets or exceeds the required g.p.a. of 3.0 required for graduate study.

Students on academic probation are reviewed at the conclusion of each semester regarding their progress toward meeting the required cumulative g.p.a. of 3.0. Any student who is not making satisfactory progress toward achieving the required minimum g.p.a. of 3.0 will be dismissed from the program.

Individual programs may have additional standards regarding academic probation. Please see the guidelines for the appropriate program.

Academic Recordkeeping

A cumulative file containing grade reports, original application, official transcripts, program plan, and graduation application is kept in the Office of the Registrar. The Registrar maintains official records and transcripts for students.

Advising of Students

The Graduate Program Directors are available to assist students by providing information about degree programs and course offerings, and for initial credit evaluations for Programs of Study. Course registration is processed in the Office of Graduate and Professional Studies.

Attendance

Students should strive for 100% attendance in all classes. In the event of an emergency or illness, students are responsible for notifying the professor and for fulfilling all class requirements according to the professor’s directions. Course syllabi include specific attendance policies. In case of inclement weather, cancellation of evening classes will be announced by 3:30 p.m. weekdays and by 6:30 a.m. Saturdays. Announcements will be made on area radio and television stations. The Program Directors will work with the faculty to schedule time for any cancelled classes due to inclement weather.

Change of Graduate Program

Current graduate students wishing to change, add, or drop a graduate program within their current academic department must initiate the process by completing a Change of Graduate Program Form, which is available in the Office of the Registrar. Intra-departmental program changes must be approved by the Program Director. Any graduate student may utilize this form except: 1) a student wishing to enter a graduate program who has not been admitted as a degree-seeking student; 2) a student wishing to change to a graduate program outside of his or her current academic department; or 3) a student wishing to change from Counseling to Education or vice versa within the School of Education & Human Development. In each of these scenarios, the student must apply for admission through the Office of Graduate & Professional Studies.

Course(s) Add/Drop

A student may complete a change of registration form in the Office of the Registrar when adding or dropping a class. After initial semester registration, a course may be added. Refer to the withdrawal refund schedule if a course is dropped after the start date. When all courses are dropped for the semester, a withdrawal form secured from the Office of the Registrar must be completed.

Course Retake Policy

Upon approval of the Program Director a student may repeat a course in which a grade of “C” or below was earned. Only the more recent grade and credit hours earned will be used in computing the student’s cumulative grade point average. However, both grades will remain on the transcript.

Dismissal from a Graduate Program

A student shall be dismissed from a graduate program upon:

1. Receiving a second grade of “F”.
2. Failure to achieve the required cumulative graduate g.p.a. of 3.0 (excluding prerequisites) at the conclusion of any probationary period. The probationary period is set by the individual graduate program and is included in the student letter regarding academic probation status.
3. Failure to meet the standards and/or aims of the University, both academic and non-academic.

Individual programs may have additional standards regarding dismissal. Please see the guidelines for the appropriate program.

Evaluation System

To be in good standing, a student will need to maintain the required grade point average (g.p.a.) of 3.0 at all times. Grades will be recorded on the student’s permanent record in the following manner:

Failing: An “F” will be received by a student who has failed to satisfactorily achieve the course objectives. A second grade of “F” is grounds for dismissal from the program. An “F” is calculated in the g.p.a. as 0.0 points.

Incomplete Grades: An “I” protects the student who, through illness or some other unpreventable and unforeseeable intervention, finds it impossible to take final exams or complete some other course requirement. An “I” grade will become an “F” six weeks after the end of the class 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 normal semester calendar. Upon completion of the work, the “L” is changed to a permanent grade. Students must complete the work within one additional semester beyond the semester in which they registered for the course, or the grade will become an “F”. Circumstances which prevent the completion of the course in two semesters must be justified in writing and approved by the Program Director before the “L” is changed to a permanent grade. A fee equivalent to one credit hour of tuition is assessed for extension of the long-term grade until the end of the approved extension.

Withdrawal: A request for withdrawal may be made in the Office of the Registrar. Unofficial withdrawals forfeit refunds and receive grades of “F.” The final withdrawal date is one week prior to the course end date. Approved withdrawals after the third week will be recorded as “W.”

Exceptions

Departures from the rules and regulations as stated in the Graduate Catalog and other official documents require the approval of the appropriate Graduate Committee. Written requests for any exceptions must be filed with the appropriate Program Director.

Graduate Program Time Limits

Work for the Master’s degree should be completed within seven calendar years of the first registration as a graduate student at Malone University. Additional course requirements may be required if the program extends beyond this limit.

Graduation Policies and Requirements

Commencement is held the Saturday immediately following the end of spring semester classes. Fall semester, spring semester, and summer semester graduates participate in the spring ceremony. Attendance at Commencement is encouraged.

A candidate for the master’s degree must:

• Accumulate prescribed credits which are in effect for each program.
• Accumulate a grade point average of 3.00 (minimum).
• Complete all degree requirements which are in effect for each program.
• File an application for graduation with the Office of the Registrar. The application deadline is January 30 for candidates who plan to complete by the end of a spring semester or a summer session, or September 30 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.

Petition - Academic

Due to special or unique circumstances, a student may need to amend or alter the requirements within his or 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 Program Director involved in the request. 3) Return the signed form to the Office of the Registrar. Final approval will be granted through the Office of the Provost.

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:

• $7.90 per secure electronic transcript or $5.00 per copy of paper transcript
• $5.00 per copy plus additional $5.00 charge for expedited, same day, or authorized fax services
• $5.00 per copy plus additional $26.00 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

Transient credit (credit for a course taken at another institution after admission to the graduate program) must be pre-approved by the appropriate Program Director prior to enrollment in the course. Credit for any course that has been pre-approved as equivalent to a program requirement will be accepted upon completion of the course with a grade of B or higher and submission of an official transcript from the university where the course was taken.