2008-09 CATALOG

 

ACADEMIC POLICIES

Requirements for Graduation

Academic Procedures and Policies

 

Requirements For Baccalaureate Graduation

      

Though appropriate UNCP faculty and staff make every effort to insure that students register for the courses required by their chosen degree program, the ultimate responsibility for meeting graduation requirements lies with the individual student. Each candidate for graduation must meet all of the following requirements:

1.  Have a minimum of 120 to 128 semester hours of course work in accordance with specific degree requirements excluding ENG 0104, MAT 0104, EDN 0104, MUS 0106;

2.  Have successfully completed the General Education Program;

3.  Earn a grade of “C” (2.0) or better in both English composition courses, ENG 1050 and ENG 1060;

4.  Have successfully completed a program for an academic major;

5.  Have a minimum overall cumulative quality point average of 2.0 and have a minimum cumulative quality point average of 2.0 in all work attempted at the University of North Carolina at Pembroke;

6.  Have a minimum overall cumulative quality point average of 2.0 in the major field of study;

7.  Complete a minimum of 9 semester hours above the General Education Program level in the major field of study at UNC Pembroke if the student transferred here;

8.  Be registered during the academic year in which the student’s graduation occurs;

9.  Complete the last 25 percent of course work in residence at UNC Pembroke.  An internship or study abroad program approved by the Dean and the Department Chair may be substituted unless it reduces the number of semester hours in residence at UNC Pembroke to fewer than 30;

10. Count no more than 3 semester hours of activity courses toward the credit hours required for graduation. Activity courses are defined as having: no regularly scheduled class meeting time, no well defined instructional format, and no graded (A, B, C, D) work required. Excluded from this definition are FRS 1000 (Freshman Seminar) and supervised internship courses;

11. Count no more than 24 semester hours of correspondence and/or extension credit (with no more than 12 hours of correspondence from regionally accredited institutions toward a degree, provided that such correspondence credit is approved by the Office of the Registrar and will not be applied to satisfy specifically stated course requirements in major programs) (NOTE: Any student needing to take correspondence work after admission to study at UNC Pembroke may be permitted to do so only after obtaining formal approval from the student’s academic advisor, from the Office of Academic Affairs, and from the Office of the Registrar.);

12. Meet the requirements of one catalog which were current at the time the student entered this institution or a subsequent catalog. Students will not be allowed to meet some of the requirements of one catalog and some of the requirements of another catalog;

13. Meet the requirements of the catalog in effect at time of readmission or those of a subsequent catalog if attendance is interrupted for more than one semester;

14. Have the recommendation of the faculty;

15. Make application for the degree by October 1st for the following spring or summer commencement and March 2nd for the following winter commencement when earned hours reach 75 (end of first semester of junior year).

a. Complete (including all required signatures) a Degree Application Form (available in the Office of the Registrar);

b. Pay a non-refundable graduation fee of $40 by the required date or an additional $25 late filing fee will be charged;

c. If a candidate fails to qualify by the time of commencement, but does qualify at a later time, the student must submit another application and a $25 diploma fee;

d. If the candidate fails to meet this requirement as specified, the student must wait until the next commencement to receive his or her degree;

16. Satisfy all financial obligations to the University.

All candidates are encouraged to complete a file in the Career Services Center.

 

Commencement

A student may complete graduation requirements at the end of fall, spring or summer session.  A student who completes requirements in fall or spring is required to attend commencement at that time. A student who completes graduation at the close of the summer sessions will have the option of returning to participate in the winter commencement or of receiving the diploma in absentia. If the student elects to receive the diploma in absentia, the student must submit to the Registrar one month prior to commencement a written request which indicates the address to which the diploma will be mailed. The diploma will be mailed after commencement.

A student may participate in commencement exercises if he or she has met all the requirements for graduation. When commencement takes place before final grades are processed, a student may participate in commencement if the Registrar has not been notified that the student will not meet all the requirements by the last day of exams.

 

PERMISSION TO TAKE A COURSE AS A VISITOR AT ANOTHER UNIVERSITY

Students who wish to enroll in courses at other institutions to apply toward a degree at UNCP must adhere to the following policies:

1. Have written approval from their UNCP advisor.

2. Have written approval from their UNCP Department Chair if the course is part of their major curriculum.

3. Have written approval from the UNCP Registrar.

4. Have a minimum QPA of 2.0.

5. Be in good social standing.

6. Have an official transcript submitted to the UNCP Office of the Registrar immediately upon completion of the course.

7. After attaining junior standing (60 hours), no student may take or transfer courses from any two-year college.

8. After completing 75% of course work, no student may take or transfer courses from any other academic institution.

9. Courses accepted for transfer credit will be evaluated in terms of UNCP’s academic policies, curriculum and the student’s proposed program at UNCP. Fractional credit will not be granted for partial completion of any course.

10. Credit hours will transfer for courses in which the student earns a “C” or better. Grades earned at other institutions are not used to compute UNCP’s quality point average.

11. Permission will not be granted to repeat a course at another institution. Students may elect to repeat any course if the original course and the repeat course are taken at UNCP.

 

COURSE LOAD AND PROGRESS TOWARD GRADUATION

Students are expected to enroll in at least 15-16 semester hours credit per term so that it is possible for them to graduate in four years (eight semesters).   Full-time students must carry at least 12 semester hours each semester. The maximum load is 18 semester hours except as follows. Students who are on the Honors List may take up to 19 semester hours; students who are on the Chancellor’s List may take up to 21 semester hours. Summer session students may carry no more than 7 semester hours each summer session term.  All course work counts toward student load whether the student is enrolled for credit or as an auditor at this or another institution

All undergraduate degree programs at UNCP require between 120-128 semester hours for graduation. In order to graduate in 4 years (8 semesters), it is necessary to take (and pass) 15-16 semester hours for 8 semesters. Students must work with their advisors and their major departments to ensure that they follow the scheduling sequence of required courses for their majors.

Students entering as of fall 1994  who take more than 140 hours to complete a baccalaureate degree must pay a tuition surcharge of 25%. (See Tuition and Fees.)

 

ACADEMIC PROCEDURES AND POLICIES

 

Students are expected to learn the University requirements and regulations which are applicable to them, and are individually responsible for meeting all such requirements and regulations.  Before the close of each semester, the student is expected to discharge all financial obligations to the University. A student may not register for a new semester nor receive a degree, certificate, or transcript until all University bills are paid.

 

UNDERGRADUATE GRADING AND ACADEMIC ELIGIBILITY

Regulations concerning academic eligibility are subject to constant revision and change. In the event of a change all students will conform to the newer regulations.

 

Classification of Students

Regular students at UNCP are classified according to the number of semester hours they have earned in keeping with the following table:

 

 

 

Grading System (Undergraduate)

Students may view their midterm and final grades on BraveWeb.  Students needing a copy of their grades may print them from BraveWeb or request a transcript.

A letter grade and plus-minus system for evaluating academic performance is used for evaluating all undergraduate students. Each letter grade has a quality point value for each semester hour it represents. The hour and quality points are used in determining a student’s grade point average for a semester’s work and in averaging grades for all work completed to find a student’s cumulative quality point average.

Academic eligibility for a student shall be determined by current regulations.

The letter grades and quality points represented by each, as of 1 January 1989, are as follows:

 

 

The “P” grade is earned in designated courses and carries semester hours credit. However, the hours are not counted in quality hours. Quality hours are the hours used in figuring quality point averages.

The “I,” or incomplete grade, is given when a student is unable to complete required work because of an unavoidable circumstance such as illness.  It is not to be given to enable a student to do additional work to improve a grade.  Assigning the “I” grade is at the discretion of the individual instructor.  It is the student’s responsibility to request the “I” grade.  Generally, the student will have completed most of the work required for the course before the “I” grade is requested.  An incomplete must be removed within one semester (excluding summer term) or it will automatically be converted to a grade of “F” by the University Registrar. In determination of quality hours and quality point averages, an “I” is counted as an “F” until it is removed. An “I” grade does not fulfill prerequisite requirements.

The “T,” grade pending, is given only for University Honors College courses until the thesis or project is completed.

The “W” grade is assigned when a student withdraws from a course during the designated drop-add period or when special permission is granted to withdraw (see below, for withdrawal process). When a student receives a “W” grade, the grade is recorded, but the semester hours attempted are not counted as quality hours.

Audited classes are listed on the permanent record. They are designated by the letters “AU.”  The AU’s and W’s will be listed as attempted hours, but not as quality hours for figuring quality point averages.

 

Quality Point Average and Scholastic Standing

Scholastic standing at UNC Pembroke is based on the quality point average. To figure quality point average, multiply the number of quality hours (attempted hours minus P credits, AU’s and W’s) assigned to each course by the number of quality points received, add the quality points received for all courses, and divide by the number of quality hours.

Example:

 

                        Quality Point Average = 39.1 divided by 16 = 2.44

*A grade of P counts as hours earned but not as quality hours and is computed as 0 hours in figuring quality point averages.

A cumulative quality point average is obtained by including in the quality point average calculation the quality hours and quality points received from UNCP only.

 

Minimum Scholastic Requirements

To indicate to a student his/her scholastic standing, four categories have been established: good standing, warning, probation, and suspension. Suspension means a minimum of two semesters separation from the University to allow more maturation in those attributes that enhance the student’s academic ability.

Required levels of academic achievement increase progressively over the approximately four years leading to graduation. This is in recognition of the adjustment period of transition from high school to college level, which is sometimes difficult. The total semester hours from all colleges attended will be the basis for determining the required minimum cumulative Quality Point Average (QPA). However only those grades earned at the University will be used to compute the student’s cumulative quality point average. The cumulative quality point averages required are as follows: 

 

 

                                                                       

Academic Warning and Probation Policy

A student who falls below the specified cumulative grade point average for the number of quality hours attempted (including transfer hours) will be placed on warning (1-18 attempted hours) or probation (19 or more attempted hours) and restricted to enrollment of not more than 13 semester hours.

The following policies will apply to students who are placed on warning/probation:

1.  In order to be taken off warning/probation, the student with 1-18 attempted hours must reach the required grade point average in two (2) semesters; the student with 19 or more attempted hours must reach the required grade point average in one (1) semester.

2.  If the required cumulative minimum grade point average is not reached in the specified time, the student may continue on warning/probation if a grade point average of 2.0 or higher is earned for the probationary semester[s].

3.  If either of the above requirements is not satisfied, the student will be suspended for two (2) semesters.  With the fourth suspension, the student’s only recourse is to reapply to the University through the Special Readmission Policy.

4.  Any new student (first-semester freshman or new transfer student) who receives all “F”s in academic (three-semester-hour) courses will be placed on academic probation. In order to continue in the second semester, an academic contract must be completed in the Center for Academic Excellence, and the student must enroll in a 6-week, non-credit Academic Success Seminar.  One of the following conditions must be met to avoid a two (2) semester suspension at the conclusion of the second semester:  (a) a second semester quality point average (QPA) of 2.0 or higher, and/or (b) an overall quality point average (QPA) above, or equal to, the University minimum for the number of earned semester hours.

a. Suspension and Readmission

After at least two semesters of academic suspension for failure to meet the Minimum Scholastic Requirements outlined above, a student may apply for readmission. Before registering for classes, the student must meet with the Program Advisor and complete an “Academic Success Contract” that specifies the actions the student will take to improve his/her academic standing.  The Academic Success Contract will specify the following, all at the discretion of the Program Advisor: 1) the number of semester hours (6-13) for which the student can register, 2) a schedule of regular meetings with the Program Advisor, 3) class attendance policies, and 4) other appropriate intervention strategies.

Only after the Academic Success Contract is signed by the student and the Program Advisor will the student be allowed to register for courses. Copies of the Academic Success Contract will be kept on file in the Center for Academic Excellence and the Academic Affairs Office. The student’s advisor and the student will also receive copies.

b. Suspension and Early Readmission

A student may appeal his or her two-semester suspension by complying with the following procedure:

1.  Meet with the Program Advisor and complete an Academic Success Contract, as defined above.

2.  Participate in a series of academic workshops as stipulated by the contract.

3.  Present a written appeal to the Readmission Appeals Committee at least four days prior to registration for classes that contains the following items:

A) justification for the student’s early readmittance;

B) written proof of health, personal, or other problems that may have affected the student’s academic performance in the past, with an explanation of how these problems will be remedied

C) a signed copy of the Academic Success Contract.

If the required cumulative minimum grade point average is not reached by the end of the semester, the student may continue on warning/probation if a grade point average of 2.3 or higher is earned for the probationary semester.

c. Special Readmission Policy (See Admissions section of the catalog.)

 

Academic Honors

Graduation with Honors

Graduating seniors may be considered for honors if they have earned a Quality Point Average (QPA) of at least 3.4 for 45 semester hours of course work in residence at UNCP. All course work attempted (including quality hours from other institutions and repeated hours) will be included in the calculation of the cumulative QPA for determining the particular honors designation awarded. Students who attain a cumulative QPA of 3.85 or higher are graduated summa cum laude. Those who achieve a minimum cumulative QPA of 3.7 are graduated magna cum laude and students whose cumulative QPA is at least 3.4 are graduated cum laude.

Students who achieve the hours and the QPA requirement at the beginning of the last semester of their senior year will be recognized at commencement. The final assessment is done after graduation and honors are pending for all students until this is completed. The honors designation will appear on the student’s diploma and transcript.

 

Honors/Chancellor’s List

Students are eligible for Honors List if they achieve a minimum semester quality point average of 3.2 while passing at least 12 semester hours of course work; none of the 12 hours may be Pass/Fail.

Students are eligible for Chancellor’s List if they achieve a minimum semester quality point average of 3.7 while passing at least 12 semester hours of course work; none of the 12 hours may be Pass/Fail. 

 

ORIENTATION AND ADVISEMENT

New Student and Family Orientation and Testing

The Office of New Student and Family Orientation offers several programs during the spring and summer of each year to acquaint new students and family members with the academic, co-curricular, and social opportunities offered at the University. These programs are designed to ease the transition of incoming students and their family members to UNC Pembroke.  All students who are required to attend New Student and Family Orientation will be mailed information concerning the program.  In addition, freshman students are required to attend the Experiencing a “Brave” New World Welcome Program in August.

Students requiring placement testing will take a battery of University-administered tests at one of the programs offered during the year. The tests are not entrance examinations and will not deny admission to any student. The purpose of these tests is to provide information to assist in advising every student and in planning the student’s academic schedule.

Those students who score below acceptable standards on the University-administered test in Composition will be placed in ENG 0104. Students who score below acceptable standards on the University-administered mathematics test will be placed in MAT 0104. Students placing in one or more of these courses will be advised to limit their course loads to 12 semester hours during their first semester and to seek tutorial aid. ENG 0104 and MAT 0104 do not count toward graduation.

 

Academic Advisement

New freshmen are advised by the staff of the Center for Academic Excellence when registering for first semester courses, after which time they will be assigned faculty advisors.  In most cases, Freshman Seminar instructors become their students’ advisors.  When a student declares a major, he or she will be assigned an advisor in the appropriate academic department.  The advisor’s role is to assist the student in planning a suitable academic program and to maintain a record of progress during the student’s college career.  However, the final responsibility for meeting all academic program requirements lies with the student. The Center for Academic Excellence also serves as a resource center for students who may wish to seek additional academic help.  In addition, faculty members may refer students to the Center for Academic Excellence for academic counseling.

 

REGISTRATION PROCEDURES AND POLICIES

Registration

Each student must complete registration online. No student is considered to be officially registered until the student has completed registration as outlined below. Students who fail to complete registration as prescribed will have their names dropped from all class rolls. If these students subsequently request to register, they must follow registration procedures just as if they had not started registration before.

The advisor’s role is to assist the student in planning a suitable academic program.  However,  the student is responsible for following all applicable academic regulations.  This includes general education requirements, prerequisites, and major/minor requirements.  Students are individually responsible for all course registrations and for completing the requirements for graduation.  The Office of the Registrar will drop students who register for courses without following departmental or University regulations.  Each student must register online prior to the first day of class.  After classes begin, each student must register in person in the Office of the Registrar.

The University has a two-phase registration system: the early registration phase and the regular registration phase.

Students currently enrolled at the University of North Carolina at Pembroke may complete their registration by: (1) consulting with their advisor during the designated early registration period, (2) obtaining the registration material (Permit to Register Card) from the advisor and preparing their class schedule for the next semester, (3) registering for the approved course work online, and (4) paying tuition and fees to the Cashier’s Office.

Students entering UNCP for the first time or returning after an absence of one semester or more may complete their registration by: (1) consulting with their advisor during the designated registration period, (2) obtaining a Permit to Register Card and preparing their class schedule for the semester, (3) registering for the approved course work online, and (4) paying tuition and fees at the Cashier’s Office.

Adding, Dropping, and Withdrawing from Courses

After a student has completed registration the only way the student’s schedule can be changed is through the drop-add procedure. To add a course a student must obtain a Drop-Add Form from an academic department, complete the form, have it approved by his or her advisor, obtain the signature of the gaining professor, and present the form to the Office of the Registrar.  To drop a course a student must obtain a Drop-Add Form from an academic department, complete the form, have it approved by his or her advisor, and present the form to the Office of the Registrar.

A student may withdraw from a course after the drop-add period but prior to and including the last day of the first week of classes after midterm grades are reported, with a grade of W, if the student obtains the signature of her or his advisor.

 Withdrawal without penalty from a course or courses after the deadline for withdrawal, but before the last two weeks of classes in the semester, may be approved only for appropriate cause such as serious illness. Appropriate documentation is required. Unsatisfactory academic performance does not by itself constitute sufficient reason to grant a late withdrawal.

The student should secure a course withdrawal form from the Registrar’s office, obtain the instructor’s signature and the advisor’s signature, and return the form to the Academic Affairs Office for review. Approved requests receive W in the course. A copy of the completed form and any required documentation must be on file with the Academic Affairs Office before a late course withdrawal will be considered. A second copy of the completed withdrawal form will be forwarded to the Registrar’s Office for entry of the assigned grade.

 

Withdrawal from the University

Up to the last day to receive a W in a course, a student may complete a “Request for Withdrawal” form, available from the Office of the Registrar. The student should get the required signatures, take the I.D. card to the Student Accounts Office, and return the form to the Office of the Registrar. The University makes applicable refunds only after the withdrawal procedure is completed.

After the last day to receive a W in a course, the Office for Academic Affairs approves withdrawal from the University without academic penalty only when unusual and documentable circumstances warrant. Unsatisfactory academic performance does not by itself meet the requirement. As soon as possible, and no later than before the beginning of the last two weeks of classes in the semester, the student petitioning to withdraw from the University must meet with the Assistant Vice-Chancellor for Academic Affairs, present the required documentation, and complete the necessary forms. Approved requests receive W in all courses.  Students who stop attending classes without completing the withdrawal procedure ordinarily receive an F in courses for which they are registered.

 

Repetition of Course Work

A student who wishes to repeat a course must adhere to the following policies:

1. The original course and the repeat course must be taken at UNCP.

2. The course being repeated must be the same course taken previously; no substitutions are allowed.

3. Students may repeat a course a maximum of three times. Exceptions to this limit require approval of the chair of the department offering the course and the appropriate dean.

4. All grades received in courses repeated will be used to compute the quality point average, unless the student elects to use a grade replacement (see "Grade Replacement Policy" below).

5. A student will receive credit (earned hours) for a course one time, and the most recent grade will be used in meeting graduation requirements.

6. All entries remain a part of the student’s permanent record.

 

Grade Replacement Policy

a. Students Entering UNCP Prior to Fall 1994

Undergraduate students who entered UNCP before the fall of 1994 and who follow the repeat policy will automatically have the grade replaced for all eligible repeats. The semester hours and quality points in courses repeated are counted only once, and the most recent grade and the quality points corresponding to the most recent grade are used in computing the quality point average and meeting graduation requirements. However, all entries remain a part of the student’s permanent record.

b. Students Entering UNCP for Fall 1994 and Thereafter

Beginning with the fall semester of 1994/ undergraduate students who enter UNCP and who wish to replace a course grade must adhere to/the following policies:

1. A student must follow all regulations regarding repetition of course work.

2. Some courses may be taken more than once for full credit; these courses are not eligible for grade replacement.

3. The semester hours and quality points in courses repeated are counted only once, and the most recent grade and the quality points corresponding to the most recent grade are used in computing the quality point average and meeting graduation requirements.

4. Students entering UNCP as freshmen will have the option of replacing a maximum of 15 credit hours with improved grades earned by repeating courses. No student is eligible for more than 15 hours of replacement credit regardless of his/her entry date.

5. The credit hours associated with each repeated course will count toward the cumulative replacement hours.

6. Students transferring or readmitted to UNCP may replace grades for courses taken at UNCP for a maximum number of hours as determined by the scale below, which is based on the number of hours accepted for transfer or readmission.

 

           

7. The student must secure a form from the Registrar's Office and indicate in writing which course grades are to be replaced for computation of the quality point average. The form designating specific course grade replacements will be maintained on permanent file in the Registrar’s Office.

8. Decisions for course grade replacement are irrevocable.

9. All entries remain a part of the student’s permanent record.

 

INTERNSHIPS, PRACTICA, AND INDEPENDENT LEARNING

Internships, practica, and other external learning experiences provide opportunities for students to earn academic credit for approved work or research programs in cooperating business-government, or education organizations. The internships, which are of one-term duration, are open to qualified junior or senior students with the approval of the department chairman.

All internships, practica, and other external learning experiences are supervised by UNC Pembroke faculty, who also assign grades in the courses.

 

Experiential Learning and Cooperative Education

Practical work experience is very important in today’s world. Students at UNC Pembroke may elect to get some practical work experience which is related to their program major (or minor) through several practical work experiences.

a. Experiential Learning Program:  Experiential Learning is a working-and-learning arrangement. The student negotiates a proposal in some area of interest to the student. Negotiation involves the student, the University, and an organization (business, agency, etc.) where the student plans to work. Experiential Learning is available through academic departments and requires approval of the chairman.

The following regulations govern the offerings of Experiential Learning:

1.   The Experiential Learning Program consists largely of Experiential Learning I and Experiential Learning II. A student must take the courses in numerical order. They cannot be taken concurrently.

2.   The amount of credit that can be earned in Experiential Learning I and II varies from one to three semester hours in each course, and is jointly determined by the student and the student’s major advisor on the basis of what the student contracts to do.

3.   To be eligible for enrollment in Experiential Learning I or II, a student must:

* have declared for a major program in a department which provides its students with practical work experience through Experiential Learning I and II;

* be classified as a junior or senior;

* have an overall cumulative quality point average of at least 2.0;

* have the written recommendation and approval of the major department chairman and the major advisor.

4.   Each eligible student who registers for Experiential Learning I or II is required to sign and carry out a written work-learning contract jointly developed by the student, the student’s advisor, and the organization providing the practical work experience which states:

* what the student is to do, what the major advisor is to do, and what the organization is to do;

* the number of semester hours the students will earn in completing the contract;

* that credit will be earned only if all of the contracted work is completed with a contract period of one-semester or term of summer session;

5.   Eligible students are allowed to use not more than a total of six semester hours credit in Experiential Learning I and II in meeting the 128 semester hours minimum requirement for the degree.

b. Cooperative Education Program:  Cooperative Education is an arrangement whereby UNC Pembroke cooperates with an outside business or agency to help a student directly explore a career-related field as an integral part of the educational program. The program allows participating students to alternate full-time work and on-campus study as complementary educational experiences while pursuing an academic degree program. To be eligible, a student must have completed a minimum of 30 semester hours and normally must have earned a cumulative QPA of 2.0 or above. Participants typically receive pay, and academic credit may be awarded if approved by the department chair, the Academic Affairs office, and the Registrar.   Cooperative Education is coordinated by the Career Services Center.

 

Independent Study

A student who wishes to enroll in an Independent Study Course in any department must: (1) meet the requirements established by the department for Independent Study and (2) submit a written Request for Independent Study to the department chair. The Request for Independent Study must include a complete description of the Independent Study Project and a schedule for submission of the Project. The Request must be approved by (1) the professor supervising the Independent Study Project and (2) the department chair.  A student may elect to work for one, two, or three semester hours of credit.

Upon completion of the Independent Study Project, the student must submit the Project to the supervising professor.  The supervising professor will evaluate the Project and assign a grade.  A copy of the Project will be submitted to the department chair, who will keep it on file.

Departments permitting Independent Study Projects will have written guidelines setting out the requirements for Independent Study.  Supervision of Independent Study Projects by faculty is voluntary.

 

CLASS ATTENDANCE POLICIES

Regular class attendance is important to the educational experience of each student and to the academic integrity of the university curriculum. Students are expected to attend every class beginning with the first session. The University reserves the right to administratively withdraw students who have never attended any classes for the semester.  Regular class attendance is a student responsibility.  A student is responsible for all the work, including tests and written work, of all class meetings.  No right or privilege exists that permits a student to be absent from any given number of class meetings. 

For all general education classes, instructors will keep attendance records.  If a student misses three consecutive class meetings, or misses more classes than the instructor deems advisable, the instructor will notify the Office of Freshman Seminar and Academic Advisement (administrator of the Early Alert program) for appropriate follow-up.   Departments may also develop and distribute attendance policies and procedures to be followed for students who miss an excessive number of classes.

For all classes, instructors have the discretion to determine how the attendance policy will be implemented, the circumstances under which make-up work may be allowed, and whether attendance will be used as a criterion in determining the final grade. Excessive absences may result in failure. Faculty  will distribute a written statement of their attendance policy as part of the course syllabus.  Students should not enroll in a course if participation in University-sponsored activities causes them to miss an excessive number of classes, as determined by the instructor.

When the University is officially closed, no student can be counted absent, even if the instructor holds class.  Any course-related material will be made available in some form by the instructor.

 

NOTICE CONCERNING THE INSPECTION AND RELEASE OF STUDENT RECORDS

The University of North Carolina at Pembroke complies with all provisions of the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974. The full statement of the University’s policy is available in the Office of the Registrar located in Lumbee Hall.  With some exceptions, students have the right to inspect and to challenge the contents of their education records.  Access to academic records is coordinated through the Registrar’s Office.  Students wishing to inspect their records should contact the Registrar in Lumbee Hall between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. Monday - Friday, while the University is in session.

The University routinely releases to the public so-called Directory Information, as follows: the student’s name, address, telephone listing, electronic mail address, major field of study, participation in officially recognized activities and sports, weight and height of athletic teams, dates of attendance, degrees and awards received, and previous educational agency or institution attended by the student.  Any student who wishes to have the above Directory Information withheld must complete and sign a request in the Registrar’s Office.  This request must be renewed at the beginning of each semester.

 

FEDERAL FAMILY EDUCATIONAL RIGHTS AND PRIVACY ACT (FERPA):

Certain personally identifiable information about students (“education records”) may be maintained at The University of North Carolina General Administration, which serves the Board of Governors of the University system. This student information may be the same as, or derivative of, information maintained by a constituent institution of the University; or it may be additional information. Whatever their origins, education records maintained at General Administration are subject to the Federal Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA).

FERPA provides that a student may inspect his or her education records. If the student finds the records to be inaccurate, misleading, or otherwise in violation of the student’s privacy rights, the student may request amendment to the record. FERPA also provides that a student’s personally identifiable information may not be released to someone else unless (1) the student has given a proper consent for disclosure or (2) provisions of FERPA or federal regulations issued pursuant to FERPA permit the information to be released without the student’s consent.

A student may file with the U.S. Department of Education a complaint concerning failure of General Administration or an institution to comply with FERPA.

The policies of The University of North Carolina General Administration concerning FERPA may be inspected in the office at each constituent institution designated to maintain the FERPA policies of the institution. Policies of General Administration may also be accessed in the Office of the Secretary of The University of North Carolina, General Administration, 910 Raleigh Road, Chapel Hill, NC.

Further details about FERPA and FERPA procedures at General Administration are to be found in the referenced policies. Questions about the policies may be directed to Legal Section, Office of the President, The University of North Carolina, General Administration, Annex Building, 910 Raleigh Road, Chapel Hill, NC (mailing address P.O. Box 2688, Chapel Hill, NC 27515-2688; tel: 919-962-4588).  Edition 5/97

 

THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA AT PEMBROKE

ACADEMIC HONOR CODE

By accepting admission to The University of North Carolina at Pembroke, each student also accepts the standards of conduct, both in the classroom and outside it, of the UNCP community. One of the most important of these standards is academic honesty. Students are expected to know what the Academic Honor Code says and to apply the provisions of that Code to their conduct at the University.

Statement of Principles

Academic honor and integrity are essential to the existence of a university community. If high standards of honesty are not maintained by everyone, the entire community and society itself suffer. Maintaining standards of academic honesty and integrity is ultimately the formal responsibility of the instructional faculty. Therefore, when any academic dishonesty is suspected, a faculty member has the responsibility to, and must, follow the policies and procedures of the Academic Honor Code.

Students are important members of the academic community. As responsible citizens of the UNCP community, students are obligated to uphold basic standards of honesty, and to actively encourage others to respect and maintain those standards. Allowing academic dishonesty is just as dishonest as committing a dishonest act oneself.

What Acts Violate the Academic Honor Code?

While specific violations may take many forms, the general categories of acts that violate the Academic Honor Code are as follows:

A.     Cheating:
Cheating means intentionally using or attempting to use unauthorized materials, information, notes, study aids or other devices in any academic exercise (for example, on a test). This definition includes both giving unauthorized information (in either oral or written form) and receiving such information during any academic exercise.

B.     Plagiarism:
Plagiarism is intentionally or knowingly presenting someone else’s words or ideas as one’s own. You avoid plagiarism by very carefully acknowledging the sources of ideas you use and by appropriately indicating any material that has been quoted (that is, by using quotation marks and properly acknowledging the source of the quote, usually with a clear reference source citation and page number).

C.       Fabrication and Falsification:

This refers to intentional and unauthorized alteration or invention of any information or citation in an academic exercise. Falsification is a matter of altering information, while fabrication is a matter of inventing or counterfeiting information for use in any academic exercise. For example, a student who changes an answer on a test and claims that the item was incorrectly scored has falsified information. A student who makes up reference citations for a term paper has fabricated that information.

D.     Abuse of Academic Materials:

Here we mean intentionally or knowingly destroying, stealing, or making inaccessible library or other academic material. Remember that library materials are borrowed, not yours to keep. For example, a student who tears an article out of a journal in the library has abused library materials. Similarly, a student who intentionally damages a computer in a campus computer lab has violated this standard.

E.       Complicity in Academic Dishonesty:

 Complicity means intentionally or knowingly helping or attempting to help another person to commit any act of academic dishonesty. For example, complicity would include allowing another student to look at test answers or to copy a paper. In a word, don’t help someone else be dishonest.

Penalties for Violations of the Academic Honor Code

The UNCP community takes the Academic Honor Code very seriously. Consequently, violations may lead to severe penalties. All acts of academic dishonesty violate standards essential to the existence of an academic community. Some first offenses are properly handled, and penalties determined, by the faculty member teaching the specific course in which they occur. The faculty member must use the settlement procedure described below to handle such an offense.

Penalties which individual faculty members may impose are limited to the following: (a) a formal warning or reprimand; (b) a reduced grade (including F) for the assignment; (c) a reduced grade (including F) for the entire course. In all cases, whatever the penalty, a record (a signed form) of the settlement of any charge of a violation of the Academic Honor Code will be kept for five years (or until the student graduates) in the Office for Student Affairs. The purpose of this record-keeping is to deter students from repeating offenses. A second purpose is to be sure students who violate the Academic Honor Code a second time are dealt with appropriately.

The Campus Judicial Board (CJB) handles all second offenses, some more serious first offenses, and any charges that the student feels are unfounded. In addition to any of the penalties available to an individual faculty member, the CJB may suspend the student from the University for a designated period of time (one semester, one year, etc.) or even dismiss the student from the University.

Several factors are considered in determining what penalty to impose for a violation of the Academic Honor Code. Those factors include: the nature and seriousness of the offense; the injury or damage resulting from the violation; the student’s motivation and state of mind at the time of the incident; the student’s prior disciplinary record; and the student’s attitude and behavior after the violation was committed.

Procedures for Handling Charges of Violations

If the faculty member responsible for a course obtains evidence, either directly or through information supplied by others, that a student may have violated the Academic Honor Code, the faculty member has a duty to investigate the incident by collecting whatever relevant evidence is available.

If the faculty member decides that the evidence is sufficient to support a charge against the student, the faculty member is to contact the Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs, who will determine from the records of past violations whether the student in question has previously admitted to, or been found guilty of, an Academic Honor Code violation.

If the suspected violation would be a second offense, the faculty member must take the case to the CJB. If the charge would be a first offense and the faculty member believes that a penalty no greater than F in the course would be appropriate, the charge may be settled between the faculty member and the student (as described below), with the settlement form signed and filed with the Office for Student Affairs. If the suspected violation would be a first offense, but one for which the faculty member considers the appropriate penalty to be more severe than F in the course, the case must be brought to the Chairperson of the CJB.

Once a student has received notice that he or she is charged with an Academic Honor Code offense, he or she may not withdraw from the course in order to avoid the penalty.

Settlement Procedure to be Used by Individual Faculty Members

The faculty member should meet with the student suspected of violating the Academic Honor Code, present the evidence of the violation, and request an explanation from the student. After hearing the explanation, if the faculty member decides that a violation has occurred, he or she fills out and signs the Settlement of a Charge of Academic Dishonesty form, which is available to all faculty members. This form may be obtained from the Office for Student Affairs. The faculty member indicates the nature of the violation and the penalty to be applied, and then gives the form to the student. After receiving the form, the student has three school days to consider and seek advice on whether to admit guilt and accept the penalty by signing the form.

If the student agrees to sign, admitting guilt and accepting the penalty proposed, he or she does so in the presence of the faculty member. The faculty member then imposes the penalty. The faculty member will send the signed settlement form to the Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs, who keeps a record of first offenses for ten years, and thus the matter is ended. If the student decides not to admit guilt or not to accept the penalty, the faculty member must take the case to the Chairperson of the Campus Judicial Board, if any penalty is to be imposed.

Campus Judicial Board

Composition of the CJB is as follows: two students recommended by the President of Student Government Association and appointed by the Chancellor; two faculty members recommended by the Faculty Senate Chairperson and appointed by the Chancellor; and, one administrative member recommended by the Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs and appointed by the Chancellor. Hearings follow procedures outlined in the UNCP Student Constitution. The CJB will judge the student as responsible or not responsible of the charges contained in the form submitted by the faculty member. Both the student who has been charged with a violation and the faculty member who has made the charge will give evidence to support their positions. Members of the CJB may question either the student or the faculty member or both and may ask for additional materials as they see fit to do so. In a closed session, the CJB will come to a conclusion about the validity of the charges.

If the student charged with a violation of the Academic Honor Code is found not responsible, the CJB prepares a written report of the case and sends it to the Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs, who will maintain a confidential file of materials related to the case. No part of the file becomes part of the student’s disciplinary record. The case is closed, and no penalty may be imposed.

If a student is found responsible of violating the Academic Honor Code, the CJB will determine an appropriate penalty. Both the student and faculty member who submitted the charge may give evidence and make statements concerning the appropriate penalties to be imposed. The Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs will supply the student’s previous Academic Honor Code disciplinary record (if any) to the CJB.

After hearing the evidence on the appropriate penalty, the CJB will determine the penalty, and prepare a written report to the student and the Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs. The Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs notifies the faculty member and the Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs of the contents of that report. If the CJB decides that a penalty of a grade of F in the course (or one less severe) is appropriate, the faculty member imposes that penalty and no other penalty. If a more severe penalty is deemed appropriate, the Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs implements the penalty indicated in the report. The student will be notified by the Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs within five days of the CJB’s determination of penalty.

Campus Appeal Board

If the CJB has found a student responsible of violating the Academic Honor Code, the student has the right to appeal that decision. The student has five school days from the date he or she is notified of the CJB’s decision to file a written notice of appeal with the Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs. If the student does not file a notice of appeal, the decision of the CJB will be final.

If the student does file a notice of appeal within five days, the Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs shall deliver this request as well as materials related to this case to the Campus Appeal Board.

The composition of the Campus Appeal Board and its powers are in the UNCP Student Constitution. For Academic Honor Code violations and their appeals, the Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs or his or her designate will represent the Chancellor for the University.

NOTE: All charges for alleged Academic Honor Code violations occurring one week prior to exams and going through exam week and during summer sessions will be heard by the administrative hearing officer. Appeals will be directed solely to the Chancellor or designee via the Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs or designee.

What to Expect from Faculty

Faculty members have been instructed that they should outline their expectations pertaining to the Academic Honor Code at the beginning of each course. Students should be aware that some faculty members authorize or prohibit specific forms of student conduct which are unique to their courses or disciplines. All faculty members should refer students to the Academic Honor Code which is published in the UNCP Student Handbook. Further, faculty members have been advised to include the following statement in all course syllabi.

Student Academic Honor Code

Students have the responsibility to know and observe the UNCP Academic Honor Code. This code forbids cheating, plagiarism, abuse of academic materials, fabrication or falsification of information, and complicity in academic dishonesty. Any special requirements or permission regarding academic honesty in this course will be provided to students in writing at the beginning of the course, and are binding on the students. Academic evaluations in this course include a judgment that the student’s work is free from academic dishonesty of any type; and grades in this course therefore should be and will be adversely affected by academic dishonesty. Students who violate the code can be dismissed from the University. The normal penalty for a first offense is an F in the course. Standards of academic honor will be enforced in this course. Students are expected to report cases of academic dishonesty to the instructor.

In general, faculty members should, and will, take preventive measures to avoid cases of academic dishonesty (for example, examinations should be carefully proctored). However, a faculty member’s failure to take such measures is no excuse for academic dishonesty. Academic honesty and integrity, in the final analysis, are matters of personal honesty and individual integrity on the part of every student.